The 20th Anniversary of Cheryl Dunye's STRANGER INSIDE
A 20th Anniversary Screening of Cheryl Dunye's Stranger Inside
Outfest is proud to partner with Jingletown Films, Clexacon, and HBO to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Cheryl Dunye's brilliant and groundbreaking film Stranger Inside. Still unavailable to watch online, Stranger Inside will be streaming free on Outfest Now the week of June 21-27, 2021 alongside an exclusive Q&A recorded for this special anniversary.
Stranger Inside is the story of Treasure Lee (Yolonda Ross, in her breakout role), a young African American woman who has moved out of juvenile prison into the State Pen in search of Brownie (Davenia McFadden), the mother she never knew. Based on four years of research into the lives of incarcerated women, the film is an authentic study of American prison life in the 21st century brought to life by an invigorating ensemble of terrifically dedicated actors. True to her signature form, Dunye inventively blends documentary and narrative filmmaking styles to create a surprising and richly rewarding cinematic experience in the way that only she can. For her work on the film, Dunye received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Director, and led Ross and McFadden to nominations for their performances, as well. Following its Sundance premiere, Stranger Inside first screened with Outfest in 2001 (on 35mm film!) where it won the Audience Award, and we are honored to share the film via our Outfest Now streaming platform in order to help return it to its rightful place: in front of an audience.
Post-Screening Q&A • 45m
In this special talkback assembled in celebration of Stranger Inside's 20th Anniversary, Associate Producer Yvonne Welbon leads a lively and insightful discussion between Director/Writer Cheryl Dunye, Co-Producer P. David Ebersole, Cinematographer Nancy Schreiber, and Costume Designer Frank Helmer about the making of the film and its enduring legacy.
Podcast Interview - The OutCast Presented by Outfest
This week on The OutCast Presented by Outfest, we celebrate the incredible work of New Queer Cinema filmmaking giant Cheryl Dunye as she joins host David Kittredge to explore her entire career, from her early short films all the way to her recent episodic work on series like Lovecraft Country. With her groundbreaking hit The Watermelon Woman, Dunye became the first out Black lesbian to direct a feature film, and created a classic of independent American cinema - but fans of the movie might be surprised to discover her own personal history around working in a Philadelphia video store. From her approach to melding narrative and documentary form to her focus upon centering the stories of Black lesbians in a medium that has rarely made room for them, this is a conversation no film lover should miss!
Now, for the 20th Anniversary of her brilliant film Stranger Inside, Outfest is proud to salute the milestone with a free screening and Q&A on Outfest Now from June 21-27.
Panel Discussion
ClexaCon is proud to partner with Jingletown Films and OutFest for this 20th Anniversary virtual event, June 21-23, 2021. Join us below for Art as Activism with moderated by Faylita Hicks and featuring Dr. Nicole Fleetwood, Rhodessa Jones, Jimmy Wu, and Tameca Cole.
Making the Invisible Invincible
By Cheryl Dunye and Irwin Swirnoff. A behind the scenes look of Dunye’s STRANGER INSIDE. As seen in "Released: 5 Short Videos about Women and Prison," produced by Alexandra Juhasz (2001). Six media artists collaborate with women prisoners to represent new visions of this crisis.
