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Paris Is Burning

  • 19901990
  • RR
  • 1h 11m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Dorian Corey, Junior LaBeija, Pepper LaBeija, Octavia St. Laurent, and Anji Xtravaganza in Paris Is Burning (1990)
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Play trailer1:40
3 Videos
43 Photos
  • Documentary

A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.A chronicle of New York's drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Jennie Livingston
  • Stars
    • Brooke Xtravaganza
    • André Christian
    • Dorian Corey
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jennie Livingston
  • Stars
    • Brooke Xtravaganza
    • André Christian
    • Dorian Corey
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 47User reviews
    • 31Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 17 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:40
    Official Trailer
    Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, and More Share Their Must-Watch Picks for Pride
    Clip 3:40
    Janelle Monáe, Laverne Cox, and More Share Their Must-Watch Picks for Pride
    What to Stream for Black History Month
    Full Episode 3:47
    What to Stream for Black History Month

    Photos43

    Dorian Corey in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Octavia St. Laurent in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Pepper LaBeija in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Dorian Corey, Junior LaBeija, Pepper LaBeija, Willi Ninja, Freddie Pendavis, Octavia St. Laurent, and Anji Xtravaganza in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Dorian Corey, Junior LaBeija, Pepper LaBeija, Willi Ninja, Freddie Pendavis, Octavia St. Laurent, and Anji Xtravaganza in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Octavia St. Laurent in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Dorian Corey, Junior LaBeija, Pepper LaBeija, Willi Ninja, Freddie Pendavis, Octavia St. Laurent, and Anji Xtravaganza in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Willi Ninja in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Pepper LaBeija in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Pepper LaBeija in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Venus Xtravaganza in Paris Is Burning (1990)
    Paris Is Burning (1990)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Brooke Xtravaganza
    • Selfas Self
    André Christian
    • Selfas Self
    Dorian Corey
    Dorian Corey
    • Selfas Self
    Paris Duprée
    Paris Duprée
    • Selfas Self
    Pepper LaBeija
    Pepper LaBeija
    • Selfas Self
    Junior LaBeija
    • Selfas Self
    Willi Ninja
    Willi Ninja
    • Selfas Self
    Sandy Ninja
    • Selfas Self
    Kim Pendavis
    • Selfas Self
    Freddie Pendavis
    Freddie Pendavis
    • Selfas Self
    Sol Pendavis
    Sol Pendavis
    • Selfas Self
    Avis Pendavis
    • Selfas Self
    Octavia St. Laurent
    Octavia St. Laurent
    • Selfas Self
    • (as Octavia Saint Laurent)
    Stevie Saint Laurent
    • Selfas Self
    Anji Xtravaganza
    • Selfas Self
    • (as Angie Xtravaganza)
    Bianca Xtravaganza
    • Selfas Self
    Danny Xtravaganza
    • Selfas Self
    David Xtravaganza
    • Selfas Self
    • Director
      • Jennie Livingston
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A documentary of New York's LGBT scene in the 1980s, showing the real life of poor Black and Latin LGBT people, introduce the ballrooms, the categories, the houses, the voguing, and the dreams and ambitions of these people who are systematically excluded from society, they fight to conquer the right to be and to reinvent themselves in a world starring straight and white people. They use the balls to show their creativity, have fun with their community and family, shining, and having their names recognized in the ballroom scene. —sin_dios_ni_amos
    • drag ball
    • 1980s
    • subculture
    • new york city
    • drag queen
    • 65 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Having a ball...wish you were here
    • Genre
      • Documentary
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language and sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      A young Pepper LaBeija can be seen very briefly as a contestant in the 1968 documentary The Queen, about a drag beauty pageant held in New York City. The legendary Crystal LaBeija, original mother and founder of the House of LaBeija, is also featured giving a fierce and shady reading.
    • Quotes

      Dorian Corey: I always had hopes of being a big star. But as you get older, you aim a little lower. Everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. Then you think, you've made a mark on the world if you just get through it, and a few people remember your name. Then you've left a mark. You don't have to bend the whole world. I think it's better to just enjoy it. Pay your dues, and just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it goes real high, hooray for you.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Doc Hollywood/Return to the Blue Lagoon/Hot Shots!/Paris Is Burning/Another You (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Is It All Over My Face!
      Performed by Loose Joints

    User reviews47

    Review
    Top review
    Really well made. Interesting. Sad, too.
    I will confess that I had no idea what I was walking into when I saw it. At the time, I was between jobs and seeing every movie I could. It was either that-or look for a job!

    Remember seeing the title and thinking it was about WW2, Hitler, etc. Of course, once the movie started, I was surprised.

    It was a very cool movie. I don't think it matters if you're straight, gay, or somewhere in between. It opened my eyes to a whole new sub-culture I never knew existed. What I saw was a group of men very passionate about something in their lives. Fascinating to watch them transform their appearance.

    Sad to see how their families didn't accept them or when there was a death of one of the principals. I remember they showed one of the actors truly depressed b/c his family (maybe his father) tossed all of the clothes he had collected. Outside of the monetary value, he really had pride in all that he had amassed over the years.

    I left thinking I wouldn't want to try it, but I thought it would be very fun to attend one of these balls.
    helpful•23
    5
    • joeochoaesq
    • Nov 17, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1991 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Children Are
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Art Matters Inc.
      • BBC Television
      • Edelman Family Fund
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,905,297
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $310,127
      • Aug 11, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,905,297
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 11 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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