Upstairs Inferno (Documentary)

It is actually a shame that I had no clue about this tragedy (almost the worst mass murder of LGBTQ people) that happened back in 1973 in New Orleans. This is way before the Orlando shooting of 2016. Here, through multiple interviews of people who escaped, and others who saw the community get back together after the incident, the director 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 and tries to enlighten people like me on how much of a brutal attack it was.

On June 24, 1973, someone set fire to the UpStairs Lounge in the French Quarter of New Orleans killing about 30 plus people of LGBTQ community. The gay bar, known for its little theatre in the back and hosting the MCC, was crowded that evening. It was aptly named, sitting at the top of the stairs, and there was a fire escape. The large windows had bars across them to keep people from falling out when they were open. Nearly two dozen bodies were found piled up, burnt, next to those windows. But no one was ever charged. None of the government officials or pope made any comment acknowledging the incident. The police never interviewed the prime suspect and shut down their investigation after a very brief period of time. The local police were quoted in the papers deriding the bar as a place of "thieves, hustlers, and queers." Most churches refused to hold funeral services for the victims. It is later said that a man, just our of anger wanted to try to scare the people off but sadly it set off one of the biggest fires and in guilt, the man committed suicide a few months after. The truth will never be told and somehow in the film , the patrons who saved themselves from the fire, seem to take a softened stance against police but sadly the deed is done.

The documentary doesn't shy away with the footage and it will likely disturb. But what is more upsetting is how the community reacted to the whole thing and simply ignored , just because to was gay people (something that later happened again for AIDS epidemic). 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 really really a shame that so few people (just like me) know about this. 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, this is a part of history that needs to be told. (6/10)