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
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
Viewership
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
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]
