Paris is Burning
Directed by Jennie Livingston
1990Documentary78 minUnited States14A
The landmark portrait of New York's 1980s Black and Latinx drag ball scene, where voguing was born and 'throwing shade' became an art.
Synopsis
Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag ball scene. Made over seven years, Paris Is Burning offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion “houses,” from fierce contests for trophies, to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia and transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women—including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza—Paris Is Burning brings it, celebrating the joy of movement, the force of eloquence, and the draw of community.
The director
Jennie Livingston
Jennie Livingston is an American filmmaker whose Paris Is Burning (1990), a portrait of New York's ballroom scene, won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. It is preserved in the US National Film Registry.
On screens
Already played at 5 cinemas in Vancouver, Burnaby, Regina, Saskatoon, Montréal.
