Film & TV / NewsFilm & TV / NewsNever-before-seen footage from Paris is Burning is being releasedThe iconic documentary that captured the 80s Harlem drag ball scene is making a returnShareLink copied ✔️November 19, 2019November 19, 2019Text Günseli Yalcinkaya Originally released in 1990, Paris Is Burning is a cult classic synonymous with the drag ball scene, and forever cemented in queer herstory. Now, the Criterion Collection has announced it will be re-releasing the film in February next year, with an hour of never-before-seen footage, audio commentary, and a conversation between the film’s director Jennie Livingston, filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris, and ball community members Sol Pendavis and Freddie Pendavis, who both featured in the original film. Earlier this year, Livingston introduced a 2K digital restoration of the documentary, which was filmed over a seven-year period. The film captured the behind-the-scenes of Harlem’s ball scene, following the community of black and Latinx drag queens as they navigated competitive balls, poverty, and transphobia. 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. pic.twitter.com/I0VFaqTNOJ— Criterion Collection (@Criterion) November 15, 2019 Paris Is Burning is responsible for preserving the reputation of legendary ball stars, Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Octavia St. Laurent, and Venus Xtravaganza. It’s arguably through interviews and raw footage with these queens that specific slang and signals of the ball movement filtered into popular culture, which have since become part of a wider discussion on the co-opting of queer and drag culture by the masses as part of more mainstream pop culture. With shows like FX’s Pose and Rupaul’s Drag Race bringing more personal, nuanced stories from the community into the spotlight, Paris Is Burning is essential viewing. Watch the trailer to the original below. Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.Trending7 sex worker-approved films about sex workSex workers have slammed Sam Levinson for his depiction of the industry in Euphoria. Here, we share our top recommendations for more true-to-life representations Film & TVOnFashionHow On and Loewe are shaping the future of footwear Armani Exchange FashionArmani Exchange joins Amnesia in Ibiza to kickstart summer party seasonLife & CultureHave you ever been friend-bombed?Beauty10 of the hottest Instagram accounts fusing art, sex and eroticaArt & PhotographyNancy Honey’s photographs capture what it feels like to be a girlMusicAll 21 of Drake’s albums, rankedLife & CultureNobody wants to be famous anymoreMaison Margiela FragrancesEventWhat went down at Maison Margiela’s ‘The Scentsorium Collection’ launchEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy