CINE 245: David Shukhin Blog Post #5 - Paris is Burning
April 6, 2024 Film name: Paris is Burning Release Date and Studio: 1990, Miramax Director: Jennie Livingston Main Cast: Pepper LaBeija, Kim Pendavis, Dorian Corey, Venus Xtravaganza, Willi Ninja, Freddie Pendavis Plot Summary: The documentary is structured using bits of interviews with various drag queens in the New York City underground scene. The interviews are edited together with scenes from “The Ball” a drag competition that draws in the gay community from all over New York City. We learn about the queens’ personal lives and what the scene and ball mean to them. The ball ends and a few years pass by and the underground scene starts getting media attention. A few of the interviewees, such as Willi Ninja end up receiving mainstream media attention and success, while many are left behind in an underground scene that starts feeling less like a tight knit community. Prompt: In approximately 350-400 words, please reflect on the rela...