Jennie Livingston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennie Livingston
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Livingston at the Here! Network/Outfest Queer Brunch during the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.
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| Born | February 24, 1962 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Occupation | Film director |
Jennie Livingston, born on February 24, 1962, is an American film director. She is most famous for her 1990 documentary movie called Paris Is Burning. This film explores the exciting world of ball culture in New York City.
Contents
Jennie Livingston's Story
Early Life and Education
Jennie Livingston was born in Dallas, Texas. When she was two years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, where she grew up. She has two older brothers. Her mother, Myra Cohn Livingston, was a poet and wrote children's books. Her father, Richard Livingston, was an accountant and also wrote a children's book.
Jennie went to Beverly Hills High School. She later graduated from Yale University in 1983. At Yale, she studied photography, drawing, and painting. She also took classes in English Literature. In 1984, she took a summer class in filmmaking at New York University.
In 1985, Livingston moved to New York City. She was involved with ACT UP, a group that worked to help people with health issues. She lives in Brooklyn and is Jewish.
Her Career in Film
Jennie Livingston worked in the art department for the 1987 movie Orphans. Her uncle, Alan J. Pakula, who was the director, encouraged her to make her own first film.
Paris Is Burning Documentary
Jennie Livingston's most famous film is Paris Is Burning. This documentary is about the vibrant Black and Latin ball culture in New York City. It shows the lives of gay and transgender people involved in this unique community.
The movie won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991. In 2016, the film was added to the Film Archive at the Library of Congress. This means it is considered an important part of American history and culture.
Some of the main people featured in Paris Is Burning include Octavia St Laurent, Willi Ninja, Dorian Corey, Venus Xtravaganza, and Pepper Labeija.
Other Film Projects
Livingston has also made other short films. Two of these, Hotheads and Who's the Top?, explore topics about LGBTQ+ experiences.
Hotheads was a 1993 documentary. It looked at how two comedians reacted to violence against women. This film was shown on MTV.
Who's the Top? was Livingston's first dramatic short film. It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2005. The film is a comedy with musical numbers and features actors like Marin Hinkle and Steve Buscemi. It was shown at over 150 film festivals around the world.
In 2005, Livingston made a digital short film called Through the Ice. This film was about a drowning accident in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. It also showed the dog-walkers who tried to help. The film was seen at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
In 2011, Livingston started a project called Earth Camp One. This film is about dealing with loss and grief. She began working on it after losing several family members between 1990 and 2000. The film is still being worked on.
Livingston also directed a video for Elton John's show The Million Dollar Piano in Las Vegas. This video showed black and white portraits of New Yorkers. The show ran for seven years.
Jennie Livingston has taught and given talks at many places worldwide. These include Yale, Brooklyn College, and Connecticut College. She has also received special awards and grants from groups like the Guggenheim Foundation.
Since 2018, Livingston has been a consulting producer for the TV show Pose on FX. This show is greatly inspired by her documentary Paris Is Burning.
Filmography
Movies
- 1991: Paris Is Burning – director, producer
- 1993: Hotheads – director, producer, editor (Short film)
- 2005: Who's the Top? – director, producer, writer, editor (Short film)
- 2006: Through the Ice – director, producer, editor (Short film)
- TBA: Earth Camp One – director, editor (in post-production)
Television
- 2018–2019: Pose – consulting producer: seasons 1 and 2; director: episode "Blow" (2.07)
Theater Work
- 1994: Stonewall – film installation in a play
See also
- LGBTQ culture in New York City
- List of female film and television directors
- List of lesbian filmmakers
- List of LGBTQ-related films directed by women
- List of LGBTQ people from New York City
- NYC Pride March
