Whosoever Metropolitan Community Church is proud to present a screening of Upstairs Inferno.
Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 4 pm – Tickets are $10.00. You may purchase tickets below.
From award winning director, Robert L. Camina and Executive Producers behind “Back on Board: Greg Louganis”, “Kiss Me, Kill Me”, “Beautiful Something”, “Raid of the Rainbow Lounge” and “Southern Baptist Sissies”, comes Upstairs Inferno: The documentary, a haunting and powerful documentary about the deadliest single event to affect the gay community in U.S. history.
On June 24, 1973, an arsonist set fire to the Up Stairs Lounge, a gay bar located on the edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans, LA. The result was the largest gay mass murder in U.S. history. Despite the staggering historical significance, few people know about the tragedy. Thirty-two people were killed and some bodies were never identified. One-third of the New Orleans chapter of the Metropolitan Community Church were killed in the blaze, including two clergy. The primary suspect was never charged with the crime. The tragedy did not stop at the loss of lives. There were also the delayed injuries: lost jobs, fear, public ridicule and severed families. The devastation was compounded by the homophobic reactions and utter lack of concern by the general public, government and religious leaders. The fire permanently altered lives and was the root of many lifelong struggles.
UPSTAIRS INFERNO (96 minutes) is poised to be the most comprehensive and authoritative film about the fire and its aftermath. However, UPSTAIRS INFERNO isn’t simply a stagnant exposition of facts. UPSTAIRS INFERNO brings humanity to the headlines by shining a light on the very painful effect the tragedy had on survivors, witnesses and loved ones. Their interviews are gut wrenching, yet insightful. Some of the people interviewed in the film haven’t publicly discussed the fire until now, especially on camera.The film is narrated by New Orleans’ own New York Times Best Selling Author, CHRISTOPHER RICE.
