Paris Is Burning (1990)

Why are you all gagging so? She brings it to you every ball!

With Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning, the International DANCE Festival Munich, together with DOK.fest München and schwere reiter, brings a legendary documentary to the big screen—one that has profoundly shaped queer culture and pop history. In the 1990s, the film inspired queer individuals to engage with issues of gender, sexuality, and race. For example, American philosopher Judith Butler used Paris Is Burning as a starting point for a theory that placed gender and identity at the centre of critical thought. And not least, Paris Is Burning, alongside Madonna’s Vogue, was one of the two pop culture phenomena that first brought international recognition to the voguing ballroom scene.

Filmed in the second half of the 1980s, Paris Is Burning captures the extravagant catwalk, dance, and fashion competitions (Balls) in Harlem, New York, while also offering glimpses into the everyday lives of ballroom members. Additionally, the documentary gives a platform to some of the scene’s most well-known figures, who speak about the rules and structures of the Balls, life in chosen families (Houses), and their personal hopes, dreams, and daily struggles. Beyond its celebration of the ballroom scene, the film powerfully conveys the dangers and violence faced by queer people of colour in New York at the time.

Paris Is Burning is a must-see — not only for all queer individuals and allies but also for fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race, who will recognize the origins of many iconic quotes. And the screening on May 26, 2025, is the perfect way to prepare for the Animal Kingdom Kiki Ball, which will celebrate today’s ballroom scene at Zirka at the festival’s closing weekend.

In the Community Talk following the film, Missy Bodega and other guests will discuss the local ballroom scene: What are the challenges faced in Southern Germany? What role does ballroom play in the empowerment of queer BiPoCs? How has the European scene evolved, and where is it headed? And how does the local scene differ from what we see in the film?
Moderator: Jan Geiger
Guests: Missy Bodega and other members of Ballroom South Germany

The film will be presented as part of the International DANCE Festival, in cooperation with DOK.fest Munich, as part of DOK.around the clock, PATHOS Theater, and Tanztendenz München e.V.