Upcoming: This fall at Lincoln Center: Films Worth Talking About, Even If Difficult presents:

Paris Is Burning, 1991, directed by Jennie Livingston

Tuesday, November 10, 6 pm, Lincoln Center, Visual Arts Complex, RM SL24L

Panelists: Associate Professor of Anthropology and the Co-Program Director of Urban Studies, Aseel Sawalha, and Clinical Professor of Visual Art, Joseph Lawton, moderated by Stephan Apicella-Hitchcock, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Arts & Sciences

Open to all. With pizza and prizes.

Directed by Jennie Livingston, Paris Is Burning is a seminal documentary that chronicles the vibrant ball culture of New York City in the late 1980s. The film celebrates the joy and sense of family within Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities, capturing drag balls as extraordinary spaces of liberation, self-expression, and empowerment.

By highlighting ballroom subculture, voguing, and the house system, the film brought national attention to the creative and resilient support networks of queer and trans performers of color and established ballroom culture as a foundational influence on modern fashion, dance, and pop culture.

The documentary also addresses issues of racism, poverty, and the 1980s HIV/AIDS crisis, and sparked important debates surrounding self-determination and representation. Ultimately, Paris Is Burning, in all its complexity, honors the legacy, strength, and pride of its icons.

About the 2026-2027 Film Series:

This season, Films Worth Talking About, Even If Difficult, has expanded its programming into a broader interpretive territory. “Difficult Films” are not limited to movies that are emotionally challenging or politically provocative; they can also refer to visually experimental, sonically demanding, historically complex, or temporally shifting films. Ultimately, the series is a pretext for gathering, ​watching films, eating, and talking—a communal exercise in which we discuss, discover, and sometimes disagree—all of which are part of the experience.

The Office of the Arts & Sciences Dean invites you to step outside your regular streaming queue, experience something different, and join a community of curious film lovers. The series alternates between campuses twice per semester, so please bring your friends, an open mind, and have a question ready. We also offer raffle items connected to the film. By participating, you could walk away with a special prize AND a different perspective.