Upstairs Inferno

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!

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.

I remember as a child this tragedy spoken about in whispers. I was glad to to see this film and learn the truth about those who lost their lives. The film presents the victims as human beings, and gives powerful insight into nature of prejudice. A beautifully emotional film

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.

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.