Philadelphia, 1990s. By day, Cheryl works at a video store. By night, she works on a history of black women in film. Considered the first American feature film directed by an African-American lesbian, this satirical comedy, emblematic of New Queer Cinema, is a cult work of LGBTQ+ culture.
Crédits
Cast
Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner, Lois Wilson, Lisa Marie Bronson, Cheryl Clarke
Screenplay
Cheryl Dunye
Image
Michelle Crenshaw
Editing
Cheryl Dunye
Production
Alexandra Juhasz, Barry Swimar
Introduced by Gabrielle Vines, student at NY Purchase College
Purchase College is a vibrant, dynamic, and diverse community. Founded in 1967 as part of the State University of New York comprehensive system, Purchase College was the fulfillment of Governor Nelson Rockefeller’s vision to create a learning community which combined professional conservatory programs in the performing and visual arts with rigorous studies in the liberal arts and sciences. This vision continues to be the guiding force in their quest to provide an exceptional educational experience. Purchase College notably trained Hal Hartley and Abel Ferrara, as well as actors such as Wesley Snipes, Parker Posey and Stanley Tucci.
Cheryl Dunye
Born in 1966
Cheryl Dunye emerged as part of the 1990’s “queer new wave” of young film and video makers. Dunye’s work is defined by her distinctive narrative voice. Often set within a personal or domestic context, her stories foreground issues of race, sexuality and identity.
Dunye’s narratives are peppered with deconstructive elements with characters directly addressing the camera and making ironic references to the production itself. The effect of these devices, and of Dunye’s appearance in her films and tapes “as herself,” is to blur the distinctions between fiction and “real life.” Dunye has made over 15 films including Mommy is coming, The Owls, My Baby’s Daddy, and HBO’s Stranger Inside which garnered her an Independent Spirit award nomination for best director. Her debut film, The Watermelon Woman, was awarded the Teddy at the Berlinale in 1996 and was recently restored by Outfest’s UCLA Legacy Project for the films’ 20th anniversary. Dunye has received numerous awards and honors for her work including a 2016 Guggenheim Fellowship. She is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Presently Dunye is a Professor in the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University and is at work on her next feature film Black is blue.
Séances
Cinéma Le Royal Salle n°2
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