When Paris Hilton was seen with a Buddhist monk, shopping at Bodhi Tree exploring New Age titles, that was only part of her carefully cultivated public image. A new documentary shows just how carefully this public image is being micromanaged to gain celebrity.
"Paris, Not France" reveals smarter side of HiltonDavid Germain (AP, 9/10/08)
TORONTO -- Paris Hilton's new reality show, the documentary "Paris, Not France," reveals a not-so-simple life in which the dumb blonde of her TV infamy is scarcely to be found. Director Adria Petty gained rare access to Hilton and her inner circle, presenting a behind-the-scenes portrait of the privilege, preening, and planning that went into creating the Hilton tabloid phenomenon.
From family videos of grade-school-aged Hilton...to brisk marketing meetings at which she and advisers discuss the "Paris" brand, the documentary offers a lively, sympathetic glimpse into the business of being a manufactured celebrity adored by many and despised by many more.
TORONTO -- Paris Hilton's new reality show, the documentary "Paris, Not France," reveals a not-so-simple life in which the dumb blonde of her TV infamy is scarcely to be found. Director Adria Petty gained rare access to Hilton and her inner circle, presenting a behind-the-scenes portrait of the privilege, preening, and planning that went into creating the Hilton tabloid phenomenon.
From family videos of grade-school-aged Hilton...to brisk marketing meetings at which she and advisers discuss the "Paris" brand, the documentary offers a lively, sympathetic glimpse into the business of being a manufactured celebrity adored by many and despised by many more.
"I really wanted to make a film about her that was not negative but that wasn't stupid, that really explored the voyeurism inherent in her creation as a new media star," said Petty, the 33-year-old daughter of rocker Tom Petty, in an interview at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival a day after "Paris, Not France" premiered. More>>
