Paris is Burning

A landmark documentary about the 1980s New York drag ball scene that explores the transformative power of performance, dance and community.

A vibrant snapshot of New York City’s African American and Latinx drag ball scene in the 1980s. In an era rife with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS and poverty, the ballroom scene with its rival ‘houses’ fashioned on well-known luxury fashion brands, provided a safe haven for its community of runaways, outsiders and outcasts. Led (and nurtured) by fierce house mothers the various competitors battle it out in categories ranging from, Executive Realness, Military Realness, Vogue, Butch Queen First Time in Drag at a Ball and Lucious Body to name a few.

Curator’s Note
Jennie Livingston’s intimate portrait of the young people who come to the scene looking for safety, acceptance and a shot at being fabulous never shies away from the heartbreaking sadness that underlines the exuberance and joy they bring to the scene. Redefining what we know as drag, the ballroom scene held a mirror to the American dream, mimicking on the catwalk notions around gender, status and success.

Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women such as Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, and Venus Xtravaganz, Paris is Burning is as vital as ever, offering a vibrant proclamation of queer excellence and resistance.