Paris Is Burning (1991)
Jennie Livingston · 78 min
Paris Is Burning screens 2 times at BFI Southbank between Wednesday 23 September and Tuesday 6 October.
Where to watch it
BFI Southbank
Belvedere Rd, Waterloo, London SE1 8XT
Paris Is Burning + intro by Tahliah Simumba, artist and BFI Inclusion Partner
Paris Is Burning
What it is
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, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.