Article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jun/24/burning-down-the-house-debate-paris-is-burning

This article from The Guardian highlights the pivotal role in bringing marginalized communities and stories to the screen. It serves as a great example of how documentary filmmaking can capture subcultures and provide visibility to communities that often get overlooked by mainstream media. The documentary’s portrayal of race, class, gender, and sexuality challenges traditional cinematic narratives and opens a conversation about whether there is a fair representation of all people in film. The article also describes the film as a documentary that uses two main styles that being observational and participatory. The film shows real-life competitions and personal stories from New York’s 1980s ballroom culture, featuring vibrant scenes of voguing and fashion, as well as emotional interviews with the people involved. It is praised for its visual style that is able to capture the energy of the ballroom scene while also offering a deeper look into the lives and struggles of the people featured in the film.

The article also discusses how the film has inspired a new generation of queer filmmakers, artists, and performers, and how its legacy continues to shape popular culture. This can be seen with how ballroom culture has affected slang and the words people use today. The article says “If you’ve ever used words like ‘fierce’ or ‘shady’ or commented ‘yassss queen’ or ‘work’ on a cute Instagram pic, you’ve been speaking the language of the ball scene – likely, without ever realizing where it came from.” The article discusses how this film and ball culture influenced things like drag that are present in our culture today. With shows like Ru Paul’s Drag race that have heavily influenced film culture.

The Criterion: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/6832-paris-is-burning-the-fire-this-time?srsltid=AfmBOorTMgyd4JrLOCu7rQKE2GuqtVFRUC9JmxrYUNlqegpo92U9gyXP

This article goes into the film’s layered and complicated impact since it recognizes both its artistic achievements and its criticisms. While the film helped bring attention to a marginalized subculture, the article also examines the ethical and cultural tensions surrounding its creation. It talks about the filmmaker Livingston who is a white, genderqueer lesbian was critiqued for her outsider status and because of the potential for Livingston to exploit the community. The film’s success in the mainstream media did not make many people happy when you look at the lack of financial compensation for the people whose lives it documented. This led to accusations of cultural appropriation and exploitation. This tension from the filmmaker’s role as an outsider raises the discussion between making art and making history. On one hand, the article highlights the enduring power of the film and acknowledges its importance as a historical document of LGBTQ plus life in a time where there was intense social and racial inequality. The film is also celebrated for its vibrant depiction of community, resilience, and the creative artistry of the ballroom scene. However, the process of creating art in this context also meant making choices about how to represent history, specifically the history of communities that were mistreated.

I also didn’t realize that many scenes were re-created while watching the film. Personally I think filmmakers should point out when they use recreations and restaging in a documentary because I feel it loses a little credibility if it showcases itself as real footage but in reality is a recreation.

Furthermore, the article also talks about the film’s theme of realism which refers to how well people can fit “stereotypes” and present themselves in ways that fit societal expectations, like appearing rich or masculine, even if they don’t fit those categories. In the ballroom community it is used in a way to gain respect in a world that often ignores or marginalizes people because of their race, gender, or sexual orientation. Although realness is about performing these ideals, it also highlights the struggle of trying to fit into a society that doesn’t fully accept them. The film shows how participants almost use realness as a survival tactic since they create a space for self expression. The concept ties into the larger themes of the film by showing how these marginalized individuals use realness both to survive and to challenge the norms imposed by mainstream society.