Paris is Burning has been a film that has caused much conversation since the time of its release. Any film centering around a specific community is cause for discussion. Who made the film? How accurate is the content being presented? Does the community it depicts agree with it? No matter what, there will be a dialogue on whether a film like Paris is Burning is authentic or not.
A strong stance against the film was made by a black author, professor, feminist, and social activist, Bell Hooks. In her book, Black Looks, she dedicates a chapter discussing Paris is Burning. She criticizes the film for depicted whiteness as a glorified entity that all black gay ball performers strive for. Bell also points out that the film was made by a white director who was not a part of the community. Livingston, the director of Paris is Burning, created the documentary because she found the community fascinating but Bell believes that Livingston should not have been the person in charge of telling this story.
That is the problem with authorship and these types of topics. Livingston identifies as a white lesbian woman and she made a documentary about the black ball culture in New York City. Hooks has a strong case in saying Livingston is not the director to tell this story. What makes me choose my stance on the matter is the motives and dedication Livingston had to understand what she was filming. If she truly loved this community and wanted to use her talent for filmmaking to make a film about this story, then I think she should be able to tell the story. I agree with Bell and agree that if this film were to be made today, it would need to be directed by a person from that community. But what we have to look at when we critique art is the time period it was made in.
Paris is Burning was created throughout the seventies when Hollywood was predominantly white. At a time like that, I think it would have been impossible for a person from the black ball community to find the funds to create a documentary about their culture. Even Livingston, as a white openly gay woman, it’s very unlikely that she would be able to make the movie. That is where I believe that it was not ideal but it allowed audiences to be exposed to an incredible community that would otherwise not be able to be heard.
I wanted to hear what Livingston’s perspective of this matter was so I found an article in the New York Times with an interview of her. When questioned about the backlash of her film she said: “The complaint is somewhat unfounded, as it was largely a gay audience, which included blacks and Latinos, that made the movie successful.” She believes that for the time, a member of the ball community couldn’t have made a film about themselves but she was lucky enough that she could. She doesn’t believe that one has to be one thing to make a film about it.
Her points are valid and I agree with her perspective. As I’ve said before, if someone is willing to do the work to understand and experience as best they can a community, then they should be allowed to show it. I respect the New York Times article because it was very factual and only used interviews and facts to lead the story. There were no biases or opinions in the article except when it was coming directly from quotes.
The conversation will continue with Paris is Burning which I should because this conversation is one that might not have an end. As a society, it is much more accepting of different storytellers telling their own story and if this film was made right now, it would not be acceptable. But since Paris is Burning is a product of its time period, we have to look at it through a 1900’s perspective. At the time it was made, it was as progressive as the time allowed.
Film, Gender, Sexuality 
Jimmy,
I definitely agree that Paris is Burning was as progressive as the time period allowed it to be. You are correct that it would have been better for someone of the black gay ball community to make a documentary like this, but as you say, that simply was not possible. Livingston did the best she could in the time period that she was working. If Paris is Burning were to be made now, however, it would face harsh backlash if a white woman were to be in charge of it.
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I’d have to agree with Hooks’ criticism. I don believe the movie should have been made by anyone outside of the ball scene community, let alone someone that could never understand the racial injustices and transphobia the the community had to endure. I like that you pointed out that someone within the community at the time wouldn’t have been able to ind the funds to create a documentary about the culture. So the movie is all that it could’ve been during that time period. I think that Paris is Burning should be remade by someone in the community. I understand that Pose was supposed to shed light on a lot of the things within the ballroom community that were not shown in the documentary, but this would allow people of color to show the WHOLE story in their own ways.
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I really love that you’ve brought the historical aspect into play in your discussion about Paris is Burning. Would the story have been more accurate if it was told by someone who was in the drag community, or at the very least someone who wasn’t white? Probably, because they would understand things that Livingston could never understand as a white woman. If the documentary was made today, would someone in that community be able to make it? Hopefully. But we also have to acknowledge that if a black person in the drag community had made this film, it would not have gained the recognition that it did under Livingston. Whether that would be good or not is a whole other debate. But I do think you bring up a really important point that it’s very possible that Livingston was one of the best people for this movie at the time, when resources would not have been given to someone closer to the community.
Do I think she maybe should have worked more closely to at least one of the drag queens she work with? Probably, and that could have made the film even better. But I think the best way to move forward would to think about reintroducing the story with a modern lens and made by people in the community.
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