10 Outstanding Documentaries About Subcultures

1. Paris Is Burning

Jennie Livingston's Paris Is Burning (1990) is one of the most celebrated films on this list. The film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991 and was listed by many critics as among their top 10 films at the time. The film follows the lives of a number of Latino and African American performers in New York City ball competitions. For many viewers, it is likely that Paris Is Burning was their first exposure to the subcultural performances of drag shows and voguing, but what is most significant about this film's focus on the ball scene is the sense of raw emotion that Livingston achieves in her representations of the many performers in the film. Homophobia, racism, and other social ills are highlighted in the intimate portrayals. Sadly, many of those featured in the film have since died. It is worth noting that the film (and its public reception) also illustrates the controversies that often surround the representation of subcultures. Some of the performers in the film felt slighted about their compensation for appearing in the film (which resulted in some litigation), while some critics (including bell hooks) stated concerns with the perspective of the director and her glossing over of many of the political aspects of ball culture. Livingston has offered many cogent responses to these criticisms, but the fact that such criticisms exist illustrates an important point about the politics of subcultures and their representations on film. No doubt these controversies will persist in the many other future films that will deal with subcultures.