Paris is Burning

Locations
Call Number: DVD 306.778 Pa, Adult DVD / Nonfiction / Social Science / Paris is burning
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Pittsfield Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 1st Floor 1-week checkout	DVD 306.778 Pa	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Pittsfield Adult A/V 1-week checkout	Adult DVD / Nonfiction / Social Science / Paris is burning	1-week checkout	On Shelf

Originally released as a motion picture in 1990.
Special features: new conversation between Jennie Livingston, abll community members ; never-before-seen outtakes ; episodes of The Joan River show from 1991; trailer and more.
Dorian Corey, Pepper Labeija, Willi Ninja, Venus Xtravaganza.
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 City₂s African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, it offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion ₁houses,₂ from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty.
DVD; full screen (1.33:1).

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Documenting an Underground Subculture submitted by Meginator on August 27, 2020, 6:49pm This is a documentary in the most literal sense of the term, insofar as the film is built around event footage and unscripted, honest interviews rather than attempting to explore a thesis or recreate a phenomenon. Jennie Livingston immerses herself in New York City’s ball scene during the late 1980s, capturing footage of performers and visiting them in their homes and at their favorite haunts; in doing so, she invites them to tell their own stories, a privilege not often afforded to gay men and transgender women of color during this period (or, indeed, even now; it is striking how relevant much of the commentary is today). The film is celebratory, but not artificially so, as it does touch briefly on darker subjects (including the subsequent murder of one of its central subjects) and reveals, intentionally or not, some of the difficulties these performers faced throughout the lives because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Though the lack of a narrative through-line can lead to a disconnected feeling, the film’s central theme of finding joy in a sense of finally belonging shines through at every moment, making this an emotionally effective as well as a historically important piece of cinema.

Educational submitted by brooksza on June 30, 2023, 1:16pm Informative documentary about the NYC gay and drag subculture I didn't really know. I can see how Balls informed Rupaul's Drag Race and popular culture today. The first Voguing scene is so good.