Paris Is Burning (1990)
Directed by Jennie Livingston · 78 min · Documentary, History
69.1 TOPICAL score · #801 of 6,776 films
Vote for it on the board →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 City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, PARIS IS BURNING offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion "houses," from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.
Paris Is Burning (1990, directed by Jennie Livingston) has a TOPICAL score of 69.1 - ranked 801 of the 6,776 films TOPICAL scores. It scores highest on audience and legacy & cult status, and lowest on lasting engagement. It won 1 award from 1 nomination, including the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary. Critics: 98% on Rotten Tomatoes · 7.9/10 critics' average. Audiences: TMDB 8/10 (571 ratings). Wikipedia covers it in 22 languages, and the Library of Congress chose it for the National Film Registry.
Why this score
Each bar: better than this % of the 6,776 films we score. How the score works.
- Critics98% on Rotten Tomatoes · 7.9/10 critics' average
- AudienceTMDB 8/10 (571 ratings)
- Awards1 win, 1 nomination - incl. Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary
- ImpactWikipedia articles in 22 languages · National Film Registry
- Still read32,265 Wikipedia readers in the last 60 days
Starring: Pepper LaBeija, Octavia St. Laurent, Venus Xtravaganza, Dorian Corey
“It has since been ranked by numerous publications as one of the greatest documentary films of all time.”
Wikipedia · read the article - AI legacy read: 10/10