Paris Is Burning: American Independent

Hit the streets and have a ball with the next entry in our American Independent series -- Jennie Livingston's groundbreaking 1990 documentary, Paris is Burning.

It is 1980s New York City and the drag-ball scene thrives like the sun shines. Offering an astoundingly of-the-moment portrait, the film covers the voguing, celebration, and microcosm of queer Black and Latinx communities that were both unified and separated into "houses" through the drag-ball scene. From parading the runway, to merely escaping the AIDS-induced homophobia of the Reagan era, we are given a fiery and eloquently-told snapshot of people allowing themselves and others to feel seen and celebrated.

Filmed over seven years, the landmark status of Paris is Burning proves itself through unflinching filmmaking and an unmistakably queer heart.