Upstairs Inferno

For those lucky enough to see this film, it details a truly heartbreaking moment in time for New Orleans, and the Gay Community at large. Anyone, regardless of whether you identify as part of the gay community will be moved by the stories told here. Robert Camina, the director, obviously has a tremendous amount of respect for the people who were directly affected by this tragic fire. At no point does the film feel sensationalize or exploitative, rather it is like going to a reunion with new friends, whose story can only be told by those who were there.

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!

At a time when the rights of many American Citizens were still being denied or challenged, a gay nightclub was intentionally set afire. That would have been horrific enough, but how the community reacted was even more chilling. the story of those who died, those who survived and the effects it had on community and family will leave the viewer heartbroken, aghast and incredulous. It was at the time, and until recently, the largest gay mass murder in history. The film does remind us how far we have come, but in light of recent events, it also reminds us how far we have to go. This is a story ripped right from the headlines and yet, one very few people know about. Camina takes a difficult subject and reveals the truth of what happened to human beings, who had simply gone out for a night of fun with friends.

Looks like the internet trolls have attacked this film for being in the LGBT category (which is an IMDb problem). Always something with the alt-right losers.

You can see the number of wins that this film has won over the last year. I have seen it three times... Camina seems in total control of his canvas... every frame captures a moment - the silences are intense.. and we are allowed into the heart of this movie.

Camina is in his element with gay documentaries. If you haven't seen his first - Raid of the Rainbow Lounge, it's another intense documentary.

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.