Image courtesy of Janus Films
Paris is Burning
One of the seminal American documentaries on sexuality and race, Paris is Burning embeds itself in the world of competitive “balls,” elaborate drag competitions staged by Harlem’s LGBTQ community in the late 1980s. Now, thanks to Janus Films, Jennie Livingston’s defiantly vivacious film returns to the big screen with a gorgeous new restoration.
Transcending the time period’s stigmatizations surrounding homosexuality, Paris is Burning feels freed from all fear and stereotypes. It weaves together clamorous footage from the balls themselves with candid interviews of key participants, most of them leadership figures of “houses” (described by one performer as “gay street gangs”) that dominate the ball circuit.
Like many great works of non-fiction, Livingston’s film melds macro themes (identity, opportunity) with micro portraitures of the people that embody them. Confessions by old-time performers like Dorian Corey and Kim Pendarvis give the viewer some history on how the balls evolved over time, while younger cohorts embrace the immediacy and excitement of finding a safe collective space to exist.
At times intimate and raw, Paris is Burning tries to capture the powerful essence of walking the floor to thunderous cheers and sometimes boos. “In a ballroom, you can be anything you want,” says Corey. By living and breathing these words, each performer inherently challenges the norms of a moment in American history where capitalism was running amok, and people of color were not afforded the same opportunities for expression, education and employment.
But Livingston’s film isn’t naïve to the dangers of being queer, strong and free. During a gutting epilogue that takes place in 1989, Paris is Burning (opening Friday, June 28, at Digital Gym Cinema) informs the viewer that one subject who dabbled in sex work was brutally murdered by an unknown John for being gay. Even the strongest community institutions and most rousing films aren’t immune to tragedy.
Opening
Annabelle Comes Home: The evil doll possessed with evil spirits returns to wreak more havoc on the daughter of famed paranormal investigators. Opens Friday, June 28, in wide release.
Being Frank: Set in 1992, this comedy stars Jim Gaffigan as a man whose secret bigamy is threatened when one of his teenage sons finds out he’s been hiding an entirely different family. Opens Friday, June 28, at Angelika Film Centers Carmel Mountain and Landmark Hillcrest Cinemas.
Paris is Burning: Released in 1990, Jennie Livingston’s seminal documentary examines the vibrant drag queen scene in 1980s Harlem. Opens Friday, June 28, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.
The Spy Behind the Plate: A documentary about Jewish baseball player Moe Berg, who lived a secret life as a spy and worked tirelessly to stop the German atomic bomb program during WWII. Opens Friday, June 28, at the Landmark Ken Cinema.
The Wandering Soap Opera: Shot in 1990 but only completed after director Raul Ruiz’s death, this satire looks at Chilean life as different but interconnected soap operas. Opens Friday, June 28, at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park.
Yesterday: Director Danny Boyle’s musical comedy about a young singer who wakes up one day and realizes he’s the only one who knows the iconic music of The Beatles. Opens Friday, June 28, in wide release.