For over 35 years, the gay porn shop, Circus of Books, served as the epicenter for LGBT life and culture in Los Angeles.

Unbeknownst to many in the community it served, the store was cultivated and cared for by its owners, Karen and Barry Mason: a straight couple with three children.

CIRCUS OF BOOKS is an intimate portrait of the Masons and their journey to become one of the biggest distributors of hardcore gay porn in the United States. Their story unfolds through the lens of their daughter, filmmaker and artist Rachel Mason.