Is Paris Is Burning right for your family?
Movie 1991 78 min
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.
What's inside
The documentary addresses complex social issues such as homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty within New York's drag scene.
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Scores measure theme presence (0–100) — they never say whether content is good or bad. Different families have different thresholds.