Upstairs Inferno

I saw this at a film festival in Seattle and was moved to tears. The story told wasn't one that I had heard of before, and it's terrifying to think that one man could hold the lives of so many people in his hands simply because of self-hatred. The story moves swiftly, and the testimonials are gripping. You feel like you're reliving the moments of the blaze just like they were. The direction is well done and smart and doesn't devolve into schmaltz or cheap tricks. Clever and sensitive. Overall, an excellent movie and one very well worth watching. The context is especially moving now that the massacre at the Pulse nightclub has occurred. Very moving and worth all the stars.

A heartbreaking account of the horrifying fire in a gay bar is very well produced with rare archive footage and photos. This is history that needs to be told. So many people (including myself) had no idea that this fire had occurred. Though uncomfortable to watch it's a MUST SEE for LGBTQ history.

Upstairs Inferno tells an important story through a cohesive, supported narrative. Considerate references maintain courtesy in respect to all parties involved while causal and temporal links weave a thought-provoking pattern of LGBTQ treatment and this community's seemingly complicated responses, whether logical, reasonable or simply justifiable. Specific attention is given to the evolving complexity of mental states as they seek to attempt resolution where none can be found. Technically speaking, the sound quality and camera work lend to the story and the music is not distracting. Editing must have been a difficult process as I was left wanting more - not more information just haunted in a way. This led me to seek additional stories involving others' rights. Today's political climate demands that specific attention be paid to gay, et al. rights. Why? The LGBTQ community has historically been treated as second class citizens, or worse. The only way to improve treatment and earn truly equal rights is to highlight this history and take action on definitive mistreatment, via target or omission, as a unified group. Many LGBTQ individuals don't understand the need for organized support as they are ignorant of historic facts - hence the need for thoughtful documentaries. Gay lives matter - not more than other lives - though the improvement of the dignity of LGBTQ does matter more than many established groups that already receive full rights and fair treatment. This documentary is a must-see - not preachy but inspiring and certainly motivating.

Living in Australia, I had little understanding or knowledge of this event. I saw the documentary at a film festival in Sydney and was amazed this hasn't been publicized more widely. This was truly a harrowing event for those involved and for a generation that followed. The gay and lesbian community may be a tight knit one but most have probably never heard of this terrible tragedy. This documentary goes beyond the GBLTI community and should be remembered by the wider community so it can never happen again. The more people that see this and understand just what these people have gone through, not just during, but the continued lingering effects afterwards, may realise that there is still a hatred in the world that doesn't belong. It doesn't hit you with a punch but builds into something that you will remember and hopefully support in the long term, not the short.

Prior to the Orlando shooting in 2016, the fire at the Upstairs Lounge was the worst mass murder of LGBTQ people...and it's a story that few even in the community know.

Dallas filmmaker Robert L. Camina (of Raid on the Rainbow Lounge fame) recounts the story of the friendly New Orleans gay bar and the night that ended in a devastating fire. He makes us care about the victims. He interviews survivors, family members and those who fought to bring recognition to the event for what it was: a brutal, horrific MURDER of innocent people.

In short, a top notch documentary!