Paris Is Burning
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Jennie Livingston
Carmen
Paris Dupree
Pepper Labeija
Junior Labeija
Freddie Pendavis
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
A look at the subculture of gay Harlem, which features drag balls, where gay blacks and hispanics, representing various "houses," compete for trophies. The film details the lives of flamboyant characters with names like Pepper LeBeija, Willie Ninja and Venus Xtravaganza, who live to strut their stuff on-stage at these Balls--part social club, part fashion show. But "Paris is Burning" is also a portrait of an alternative community with surprisingly conventional desires for stability, security and self-validation.
Director
Jennie Livingston
Cast
Carmen
Paris Dupree
Pepper Labeija
Junior Labeija
Freddie Pendavis
Sol Pendavis
Avis Pendavis
Octavia Saint Laurent
Stevie Saint Laurent
Angie Xtravaganza
Bianca Xtravaganza
Danny Xtravaganza
David Xtravaganza
David Ian Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza
Angie Xtravaganza
Octavia Saint Laurent
David Xtravaganza
Bianca Xtravaganza
Willi Ninja
Dorian Corey
Sandy Ninja
Crew
James Adner
Maryse Alberti
Maryse Alberti
Rosalinda Alvira
Josef Astor
Nicole Barnum
Zinka Benton
Harry Birckmeyer
Bonnie Blake
Sara Blecher
Elizabeth Bouiss
Peggy Brady
Scott Breindel
Catherine Calderon
Carmen
Dorian Corey
Dorian Corey
Hector Crespo
Theo Crimona
Kate Davis
Alyson Denny
Rick Dior
Richard W Dooley
Penny Dow
Paris Dupree
Anne Dutlinger
Borden Elniff
Nigel Finch
Paul Gibson
Paul Gibson
Lloyd Goldfine
Claire Goodman
Melissa Hacker
Jan Heissinger
Natalie Hill
Carol Hillson
Paul Jacques Hulot
David Irrera
Janet Jacobson
Jill Johnson
Karen Kandrak
Judy Karp
Arlene Kriv
Junior Labeija
Pepper Labeija
Davis Lacy
Spike Lampros
George Leong
Jennie Livingston
Jennie Livingston
Jennie Livingston
Bengt Mattson
Meg Mclagan
William Megalos
Stanley Nelson
Sandy Ninja
Willi Ninja
Jonathan Oppenheim
Jacinta Orlando
Myra Paci
Avis Pendavis
Freddie Pendavis
Sol Pendavis
Elise Pettus
Syndey Pokorney
Frank Prinzi
Jim Rogula
Eric Rosenblatt
Janine Saint Germain
Octavia Saint Laurent
Stevie Saint Laurent
Carolina Salguero
Etienne Sauret
Matt Skilton
Kevin Skvorak
Benjamin P Speth
Barry Swimar
J T Orinne Takagi
Stacia Thompson
Michael Bon Villain
Paul Vincent
Hugh Walsh
Angie Xtravaganza
Bianca Xtravaganza
Danny Xtravaganza
David Xtravaganza
David Ian Xtravaganza
David Xtravaganza
Venus Xtravaganza
Phoebe Yantsis
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Named best documentary of 1991 by the National Society of Film Critics.
Named best documentary of 1991 by the New York Film Critics Circle.
Named best documentary of 1990 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Limited Release in United States March 13, 1991
Expanded Release in United States August 9, 1991
Released in United States on Video September 23, 1992
Released in United States July 1990
Released in United States September 1990
Released in United States September 16, 1990
Released in United States September 26, 1990
Released in United States October 1990
Released in United States 1991
Released in United States January 1991
Released in United States February 1991
Released in United States August 7, 1991
Released in United States 1994
Released in United States June 1994
Released in United States May 1999
Released in United States June 1999
Released in United States 2015
Shown at Los Angeles International Gay & Lesbian Film & Video Festival July 6-12, 1990.
Shown at Toronto Festival of Festivals September 6-15, 1990.
Shown at New York Lesbian and Gay Experimental Film Festival September 16, 1990.
Shown at Margaret Mead Film Festival September 26, 1990.
Shown at Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York City October 2-12, 1990.
Shown at 1991 Biennial Exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City April 23-24 & May 18-19, 1991.
Shown at Birmingham International Film & Television Festival September 20 - October 5, 1991.
Shown at Deauville Film Festival August 30 - September 9, 1991.
Shown at Berlin Film Festival (International Forum) February 15-26, 1991.
Shown at Dockers Khakis/IFP's Classically Independent Film Festival in New York City (Film Forum) May 7-10, 1999.
Shown at Dockers Khakis/IFP's Classically Independent Film Festival in Los Angeles (Writers Guild Theater) June 25-28, 1999.
Limited Release in United States March 13, 1991
Expanded Release in United States August 9, 1991
Released in United States on Video September 23, 1992
Released in United States 1991 (Shown at 1991 Biennial Exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City April 23-24 & May 18-19, 1991.)
Film noted "In Memory of David Baer, Kevin Sutton, Lee Marks and Richard Roland Livingston."
Released in United States 1994 (Shown in New York City (MOMA) as part of program "Gays and Film: Get Reel" June 17 - July 12, 1994.)
Released in United States September 1990 (Shown at Toronto Festival of Festivals September 6-15, 1990.)
Released in United States February 1991 (Shown at Berlin Film Festival (International Forum) February 15-26, 1991.)
Released in United States January 1991 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival Park City, Utah January 17-27, 1991.)
Released in United States June 1994 (Shown in New York City (Walter Reade) as part of program "Set in Motion: The New York State Council on the Arts Celebrates 30 Years of Independents" June 3-9, 1994.)
Released in United States 1991 (Shown at Deauville Film Festival August 30 - September 9, 1991.)
Released in United States October 1990 (Shown at Independent Feature Film Market (IFFM) in New York City October 2-12, 1990.)
Began shooting in 1987.
Completed shooting in 1989.
Released in United States May 1999 (Shown at Dockers Khakis/IFP's Classically Independent Film Festival in New York City (Film Forum) May 7-10, 1999.)
Released in United States June 1999 (Shown at Dockers Khakis/IFP's Classically Independent Film Festival in Los Angeles (Writers Guild Theater) June 25-28, 1999.)
Released in United States September 26, 1990 (Shown at Margaret Mead Film Festival September 26, 1990.)
Feature directorial debut for Jennie Livingston.
Received the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival.
Director Jennie Livingston received the Open Palm Award, consisting of $10,000 in donated services from General Camera and TVC Labs toward her next film, at the Independent Feature Project's first annual Gotham Awards in September 1991.
Released in United States August 7, 1991 (Benefit premiere in Los Angeles for AIDS Project Los Angeles August 7, 1991.)
Released in United States September 16, 1990 (Shown at New York Lesbian and Gay Experimental Film Festival September 16, 1990.)
Released in United States 1991 (Shown at Birmingham International Film & Television Festival September 20 - October 5, 1991.)
Broadcast over BBC in United Kingdom April 1990.
Released in United States July 1990 (Shown at Los Angeles International Gay & Lesbian Film & Video Festival July 6-12, 1990.)
Released in United States 2015 (From The Collection)
Named best documentary of 1991 by the Boston Society of Film Critics.
