Monday, June 29, 2015

Paris is Burning (1990)

Such an astounding documentary! This film was instrumental in bringing a very specific, important and ignored subculture to the attention of the world at large. The ripples caused by the Drag Balls depicted here can still be felt to this day in popular culture the world over. Faced with homo/transphobia and the decimation of AIDS in the 80's, the members of this vibrant community refused to be anything but themselves. Even if it was just for a night, these balls allowed them a brief respite from the darkness.

Though many of the participants in this film are no longer with us, they live on in a work that is still so vital. The fight for marriage equality may now be a thing of the past, but stories like Venus Xtravaganza's are still happening every single day all across America. There are still battles to win. Everyone should see this film. It's funny, fabulous and heartbreaking without even breaking a sweat.

No comments:

Post a Comment