Though her intentions aren't overtly polemical, Jennie Livingston's PARIS IS BURNING is an enthralling examination of the loaded cultural issues of sex, class and race as seen through the subculture of black and hispanic transvestites.
Shot in New York City between 1985 and 1989, the film, which takes its name from a Harlem drag ball, consists of interviews with a cross section of the minority cross-dressing community, a term whose very ludicrousness is relevant to the film's intentions, as well as footage of drag balls and
various aspects of their daily lives. Livingston's subjects range from middle-aged queens who once modeled themselves on movie stars and La...
Released:
1991
Rated:
R
Length:
71 mins