This Is Paris - Wikipedia

2020 documentary film For the 2006 television special This Is Paris, see The Simple Life § Spin-offs.

This Is Paris
Official release poster
Directed by	Alexandra Dean
Written by	Alexander Dean
Produced by	Paris Hilton Aaron Saidman
Starring	Paris Hilton
Cinematography	Arlene Nelson
Edited by	Aaron McAdams Jill Woodward
Music by	Lara Meyerratken
Productioncompany	The Intellectual Property Corporation
Distributed by	YouTube Originals
Release date	September 14, 2020 (2020-09-14)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

This Is Paris is a 2020 documentary film produced by YouTube Originals about media personality Paris Hilton, including her experiences as a former victim of the troubled teen industry.[1][2][3][4]

Plot

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This is Paris is about Hilton's day-to-day experiences and shows previously unknown stories regarding her personal life.[5] In the film, she reveals her experiences with being gooned, and the emotional, verbal and physical abuse she experienced while attending a series of boarding schools as a teenager.[6] It also chronicles Hilton's professional trajectory, from the beginning to the present day, supported by interviews with family members and friends.

Production

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The film was directed by Alexandra Dean, financed by The Intellectual Property Corporation and released by YouTube Originals. Dean was first contacted by IPC following the release of her previous documentary, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017). "They saw all these parallels between Bombshell and Paris", Dean stated in an interview with CNN, adding: "I thought Paris is definitely unseen and misunderstood. I mean, I didn't see her or understand her for decades. I definitely wrote her off. [...] She has a billion dollar empire. She runs it and whether you like it or not, whether you like her or not, you have to respect that. It's not an easy thing to do. She does it almost solo. I saw that up close".[7]

Despite not being prepared to disclose certain information, Hilton trusted Dean's approach and found the process of filming to be a healing space for her. She served as a producer but did not have artistic authority over the production, which she admitted was a big risk, since she always had "complete creative control" of her business ventures.[1]

Filming took place between 2019 and 2020, in the United States, South Korea and Belgium, among other locations.[5]

Reception

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Viewership

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This is Paris, released on YouTube on September 14, 2020, garnered over 16 million views in its first month of release.[8] As of June 2023, the documentary has amassed over 76 million views on the platform.[9]

Critical response

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On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the documentary has an approval rating of 63% based on 8 reviews.[10] Two reviewers deemed it a successful "rebranding" of its subject's image.[11][12]

In her review for The Guardian, Michelle Kambasha praised This Is Paris for its honest and unfiltered portrayal of Paris Hilton, calling it a documentary that truly "puts the reality in reality TV." She appreciated how it goes beyond Hilton's well-known image as a glamorous socialite, instead revealing her as a survivor of institutional abuse. Kambasha highlighted the emotional depth of the film, which delves into the lasting impact of her past experiences and shows a more vulnerable, human side of Hilton.[13]

See also

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• Troubled teen industry
• Documentary film
• List of documentary films

References

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1. ^ a b Jackson, Angelique (September 14, 2020). "Paris Hilton Aims to Redefine Her Brand by Sharing Childhood Trauma in 'This Is Paris' Documentary". Variety. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
2. ^ Kambasha, Michelle (September 15, 2020). "This Is Paris: Hilton documentary puts the reality in reality TV". The Guardian. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
3. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (September 12, 2020). "Who Is Paris Hilton, Really?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
4. ^ Szalavitz, Maia (September 19, 2020). "Opinion | Paris Hilton's new documentary shines a light on a shameful American industry". NBC News. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
5. ^ a b Goldsmith, Annie (August 24, 2020). "Paris Hilton Opens Up About Physical and Emotional Abuse at Boarding School". Town & Country. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
6. ^ Yasharoff, Hannah. "After alleging abuse at her old school, Paris Hilton isn't backing down". USA Today. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
7. ^ "How the director of 'This is Paris' reintroduced Paris Hilton to the world". 15 September 2020.
8. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (22 October 2020). "UTA Signs Pop Culture Fixture Paris Hilton". Deadline.com.
9. ^ "The Real Story of Paris Hilton | This is Paris Official Documentary". 13 September 2020 – via YouTube.
10. ^ "This is Paris (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes.
11. ^ "This is Paris Review – The Rebranding of a Celebrity Character". The Curb. September 22, 2020.
12. ^ Moustakas, Tiffany (December 2, 2020). "What Is the Future of the Paris Hilton Brand?". Adweek. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
13. ^ Kambasha, Michelle (2020-09-15). "This Is Paris: Hilton documentary puts the reality in reality TV". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-01-08.

External links

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• This Is Paris at IMDb 
• This Is Paris on YouTube

v t e Paris Hilton
Discography List of screen appearances
Studio albums	Paris Infinite Icon
Singles	"Stars Are Blind" "Nothing in This World" "Turn It Up" "Good Time" "Come Alive" "High Off My Love" "I Need You" "B.F.A. (Best Friend's Ass)" "Fame Won't Love You" "I'm Free" "BBA"
Books	Confessions of an Heiress Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me
Film	Nine Lives The Hillz 1 Night in Paris House of Wax Bottoms Up National Lampoon's Pledge This! The Hottie and the Nottie America the Beautiful Repo! The Genetic Opera Paris, Not France Teenage Paparazzo The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation The American Meme This Is Paris
Television	The Simple Life Biography: The Hiltons Paris Hilton's My New BFF Paris Hilton's British Best Friend Paris Hilton's Dubai BFF episodes The World According to Paris Hollywood Love Story Cooking with Paris Paris in Love
Cultural depictions	Britney Ever After "I'm Not a Vampire" London Tipton "Reality Stars: The Musical" "Stupid Girls" "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset"
Related	"I Don't Want It at All" Provo Canyon School
Category

v t e Troubled teen industry
Facility types	Youth residential treatment center Boot camp Behavior modification facility Therapeutic boarding school
Methods	Applied behavior analysis Attack therapy Conversion therapy Wilderness therapy Primal therapy
Organizations	CEDU Educational Services World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs Universal Health Services Aspen Education Group
Media	Fiction Not My Kid Boot Camp Coldwater Higher Ground Over the GW Self Medicated The Wilderness Wayward Nonfiction Children of Darkness Kidnapped for Christ This Is Paris Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare Stolen: A Memoir The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping Help at Any Cost Scared Straight! Oh the Glory of It All
Notable facilities	Élan School Diamond Ranch Academy Judge Rotenberg Center Provo Canyon School RedCliff Ascent Turn-About Ranch
Other	Teen escort company
Category