Paris is Burning!

The film Pair is Burning was definitely my favorite documentary watched in honors class. Paris is Burning was filmed in 1990 and was directed by Jennie Livingstein. The documentary tackled the concept about gender being performed rather than it being instinct. The narration was done by the subjects of the film and also by narration. The director sometimes intervened in the film to ask questions or suggest what the interviewee should say, this in a way interfered with the reality of it. The main setting or subject matter of the film was the “Ball” which was a place where gay people went to be themselves. They were able to let loose and feel good about who they were. They were able to live their fantasy of being a superstar for the night. In the documentary, it seemed not only was there goal to be the opposite sex, but they also had a goal to be a rich white person. Not only were they performing gender, but they were also performing a different race and social status. This controversial film triggers many different emotions for people. Some feel disgust, some feel happiness, and others might feel anger. When I watched this film, however, I felt at peace that these people found something that makes them feel good and makes them feel happy. Our world is so full of hatred so it is a relief to see love and acceptance in a group of people. I also felt sad that the men in this group had to try so hard to be accepted. Paris is Burning is considered to be an ethnographic documentary because it is about a diverse subculture.