Paris is Burning

A landmark 1990 American documentary directed by Jennie Livingston, filmed over roughly seven years in the mid-to-late 1980s. It chronicles the ball culture of New York City and the African American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it. The film introduced wide audiences to voguing, ballroom categories, the concept of realness, and the houses that serve as chosen families, featuring figures like Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, Willi Ninja, and Venus Xtravaganza. Critics consider it an invaluable record of the ballroom scene's golden age and a study of race, class, gender, and sexuality. It also sparked lasting debate about representation and who profits from telling community stories.