In a quiet corner of Los Angeles, a silent revolution unfolded for decades—what appeared to be an ordinary bookstore was, in fact, the beating heart of a generation’s suppressed identities, desires, and struggles for existence. Circus of Books is a poignant and personal documentary about how a conservative Jewish family unexpectedly came to run a shop that became central to America’s queer history. Director Rachel Mason embarks on a brave journey of discovery, unraveling how her seemingly “normal” parents operated this space from the 1980s to the 2000s—a store that housed gay pornography, community solidarity, and lives pushed to the margins. From the AIDS crisis to censorship laws, from oppression to resilience, the film opens the doors to a history veiled in silence.
