Circus of Books (film)
{{short description|2019 documentary film}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Circus of Books
| image = Circus of Books (film) poster.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Official poster
| director = Rachel Mason
| producer =
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Rachel Mason
- Kathryn Robson
}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
- Karen Mason
- Barry Mason
- Rachel Mason
}}
| music =
| cinematography =
| editing =
| studio =
| distributor = Netflix
| released = {{Film date|2019|04|26|Tribeca|2020|4|22|United States}}
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Circus of Books is a 2019 American documentary film directed by Rachel Mason, written by Rachel Mason and Kathryn Robson and starring Karen Mason, Barry Mason and Rachel Mason. The premise revolves around Circus of Books, a bookstore and gay pornography shop in West Hollywood, California, and in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.{{cite web |url=https://decider.com/2020/04/23/circus-of-books-on-netflix-stream-it-or-skip-it/ |title=Stream It Or Skip It: 'Circus of Books' on Netflix, a Documentary About the Most Unlikely Porn-Store Owners Ever |accessdate=2020-06-13 |website=Decider|date=April 23, 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/17/circus-of-books-review-gay-porn-rachel-mason |title=Circus of Books review – tender doc about family life and gay porn |accessdate=2020-06-13 |work=The Guardian|date=April 17, 2020 }}
The film premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and was released on Netflix in the United States on April 22, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://culturemixonline.com/2019-tribeca-film-festival-movie-review-circus-books/|title=2019 Tribeca Film Festival movie review: 'Circus of Books'|website=Culture Mix|accessdate=19 June 2020}}
Cast
- Karen Mason
- Barry Mason
- Rachel Mason
- Josh Mason
- Micah Mason
- Alexei Romanoff
- Billy Miller
- Don Norman
- Freddie Bercovitz
- Paulo Morillo
- Ellen Winer
- Larry Flynt
- David Gregory
- Fernando Aguilar
- Alaska Thunderfuck
- Jeff Stryker
Release
The film premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://culturemixonline.com/2019-tribeca-film-festival-movie-review-circus-books/|title=2019 Tribeca Film Festival movie review: 'Circus of Books'|publisher=|accessdate=19 June 2020}} It went on to show at several film festivals, including the Frameline Film Festival,{{cite web|url=https://www.frameline.org/year-round/audience/calendar/circus-of-books|title=Circus of Books + Verasphere: A Love Story in Costume|work=www.frameline.org|accessdate=19 June 2020|archive-date=August 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819093831/https://www.frameline.org/year-round/audience/calendar/circus-of-books|url-status=dead}} Outfest,{{cite web|url=https://festival.outfest.org/2019/movies/circus-of-books/|title=OPENING NIGHT GALA: CIRCUS OF BOOKS|work=festival.outfest.org|accessdate=19 June 2020}} the Hamptons International Film Festival,{{cite web|url=https://hamptonsfilmfest.org/features/summerdocs-circus-of-books/|title=SummerDocs: 'CIRCUS OF BOOKS' on August 24|work=hamptonsfilmfest.org|date=June 24, 2019 |accessdate=19 June 2020}} and the BFI London Film Festival.{{cite web|url=https://www.thereviewshub.com/london-film-festival-2019-circus-of-books/|title=London Film Festival 2019 - Circus of Books|date=15 October 2019|publisher=|accessdate=19 June 2020}} At the 2019 Sidewalk Film Festival, the film won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.{{cite web|url=https://www.sidewalkfest.com/award-winners-from-sidewalk-2019/|title=Award Winners from Sidewalk 2019|date=27 August 2019|publisher=|accessdate=19 June 2020}}
On April 22, 2020, the film was released on Netflix.
Reception
{{RT data|as of|y|m|post=,}} Circus of Books holds {{a or an|{{RT data|score}}}} approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on {{RT data|count}} reviews with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critics consensus reads: "Like the cheekily named store at this documentary's center, Circus of Books proves there are countless stories below the surface if we're only willing to look."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/circus_of_books|title=Circus of Books (2019)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}} The Guardian{{'s}} Peter Bradshaw rated the film 4 out of 5 stars.
Circus of Books was nominated for the 2021 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/glaad-media-awards-32nd-annual-deadlines-new-hollywood-podcast-representation-inclusion-diversity-lgtbq-1234681899 |title=GLAAD Unveils Nominees For 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards; Deadline's New Hollywood Podcast Honored With Special Recognition Award |first=Dino-Ray |last=Ramos |work=Deadline Hollywood |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128190335/https://deadline.com/2021/01/glaad-media-awards-32nd-annual-deadlines-new-hollywood-podcast-representation-inclusion-diversity-lgtbq-1234681899/ |date=January 28, 2021 |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |access-date=February 2, 2021 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|LGBTQ}}
- {{Netflix title}}
- {{IMDb title|8727582}}
Category:2019 documentary films
Category:2019 LGBTQ-related films
Category:Documentary films about gay male pornography
Category:Documentary films about Los Angeles
Category:Netflix original documentary films
Category:2010s English-language films