“Paris is Burning” is an inconic, controversial 1991 documentary credited with so much impact.
It helped call attention to the Black underground world of drag and dance. It helped create Madonna’s pop hit, “Vogue.” It influenced RuPaul’s Drag Race.
And years after its release, concerns of exploitation emerged as the Black queer stars received far less compensation that the white lesbian director.
This year, “Paris is Burning” is a kick-off for Pride Month in Des Moines. It’s being shown May 29 at the Varsity Theater by a coalition of central Iowa LGBTQ+ nonprofits as a presentation of “”the vibrant ballroom scene of 1980s New York City and the creativity, resilience, and fierce self-expression of Black and Latine LGBTQ+ folks.”
This showing is presented by Capital City Pride, One Iowa, Iowa LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, Progress Iowa, and the Des Moines LGBTQ Advisory Council. You’re encouraged to wear drag attire! Learn more about this event here.
