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Paris Is Burning (1990)

Directed by Jennie Livingston · Cinematography by Paul Gibson

R78 min39 frames

Documentary

Having a ball… Wish you were here

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Paris Is Burning

16 of 39 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: wide — A concrete pier covered in graffiti overlooks a river during a sunset. A group of individuals stand and…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: wide — A community hall with paneled walls features a raised stage and scattered round tables. A performer in a…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — Three young women stand together inside a dark and crowded nightclub setting. Harsh red neon light…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — An interior space features pale walls and a window covered by simple white curtains. A woman faces the…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A spacious hall features dark red walls with ornate gold-trimmed panels and a wooden floor. A…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A woman stands in front of a fireplace mantel decorated with numerous award trophies. She faces the…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: wide — A dark city intersection features a large, glowing red LED sign suspended across the street. The sign…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A dark, smoke-filled room is lit by heavy green atmospheric lighting and neon. A group of people stand…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A high-contrast black-and-white scene with two women posed against a bright white background. They…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: establishing — A nocturnal view of the lower Manhattan skyline featuring the World Trade Center towers.…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A dimly lit theater balcony features red structural elements and a wooden railing. Three young men…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A 1980s living room features a patterned sofa next to an illuminated floral lamp. A man with glasses…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: fullbody — A wide paved pier stretches along a body of water during the sunset. A man and a woman walk away…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — An urban lot enclosed by a chain link fence features a boarded up house. A young man stands in the…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — A dark ballroom with rows of people seated in the background on chairs. A young man in an orange…Paris Is Burning (1990) movie still: medium — Two teenage boys walk down a dimly lit urban exterior at night. One has his arm around the other while…
Paris Is Burning (1990) — © Off White Productions

Paris Is Burning — official trailer

What is Paris Is Burning about?

Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade? This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City's African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, PARIS IS BURNING offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion "houses," from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. Featuring legendary voguers, drag queens, and trans women — including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, and Venus Xtravaganza.

Where can you watch Paris Is Burning?

US availability for Paris Is Burning (1990). Data by JustWatch, listings on TMDB. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Paris Is Burning?

Who made Paris Is Burning?

What does the cinematography of Paris Is Burning look like?

Across 39 sampled frames, medium shots dominate the coverage of Paris Is Burning. Cinematographer Paul Gibson keeps much of it in soft, low-key light. Most of the frames play at night or in the failing light of dusk. Vintage glass shapes the frame, over a texture recalling 16mm. Focus stays shallow in most of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings. The production design places the film in the 1990s.

What is the color palette of Paris Is Burning?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Paris Is Burning (1990) are #12100e, #34302f, #4a372b, #2a1815, #2d2613, #544d49 — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #12100e
  • #34302f
  • #4a372b
  • #2a1815
  • #2d2613
  • #544d49

See the full Paris Is Burning colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

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