Paris Is Burning

In the organizer's words:

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, is bringing a legendary documentary film to the big screen that has had a significant impact on the queer scene and pop culture. In the 1990s, the film provided the impetus for queer people to engage with gender, sexuality and race - for example, the US philosopher Judith Butler chose "Paris Is Burning" as the starting point for a theory that placed gender and identity at the center of thought. And last but not least, alongside Madonna's "Vogue", "Paris Is Burning" was one of the two pop-cultural phenomena that brought the voguing ballroom scene international recognition for the first time.

Filmed in the second half of the 1980s, "Paris Is Burning" shows sequences of the extravagant catwalk, dance and fashion competitions (balls) in New York's Harlem district as well as clips from the everyday lives of the ballroom members. In addition, the documentary allows some of its best-known representatives to talk about the rules and structures of the Balls, life in surrogate families (Houses) and about their very personal hopes, dreams and daily challenges. In addition to the fascination with the ballroom scene, the film impressively conveys the dangers and violence that queer people of color were exposed to in New York at the time.

Paris Is Burning is not just a must-see for all queer people and allies. Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race will discover the origin of many iconic quotes here. And the screening on May 26, 2025 is the perfect preparation for the Animal Kingdom Kiki Ball, which will celebrate the ballroom scene of today on the closing weekend of the festival.

In the community talk after the film, Missy Bodega and other guests will talk about the local ballroom scene: What are the challenges in southern Germany, what role does ballroom play in the emancipation of queer BiPoCs? How has the European scene developed and where should it go? And how does the scene here differ from what we see in the movie?
Moderation: Jan Geiger
Discussion partners: Missy Bodega and other members of Ballroom South Germany

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