Shadow And Act has confirmed with Janus Films that the seminal queer film classic Paris is Burning will be re-released at the NY Film Forum June 14. The film will screen in New York for two weeks before heading to national theaters. It is also digitally remastered by the UCLA Television Archive.
The documentary was directed by Jennie Livingston, who also supervised the film’s restoration. The endlessly quotable film follows legends in the New York ’80s ball culture, including Willi Ninja, Venus Extravanganza, Dorian Corey, pepper LaBeija, Kim Pendavis, Freddie Pendavis, Octavia St. Laurent and others as they attempt to reach their dreams of stardom and acceptance amid rampant homophobia.
The film has had a significant influence on pop culture, from being endlessly memed online to inspiring FX’s Pose, created by Ryan Murphy and also featured Black and brown trans and gay youth in New York’s ball scene in the 1980s. The show stars Angelica Ross, Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter, Indya Moore, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Hailie Sahar, Dyllon Burnside and Angel Bismark Curiel. Pose‘s second season will begin June 9.
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Testimony Of Ball Culture That Rightfully Earns Recognition In Film History
