1. What inspired you to be a filmmaker?
As a journalist, I’d written about sex and the porn industry for years, but when I came across the story of Chuck Holmes, I knew it had to be told visually. It’s hard to convey the mood and energy of vintage porn — let alone Falcon — without video. Porn was one of the only ways in which gay life was regularly documented, so I had to tell it through film.
2. What does Pride mean to you, and do you have any advice for the next generation?
Pride is many things — power, rebellion, activism — but at its center, linguistically and ideologically, it’s the rejection of shame. It’s an acknowledgement that what we do, in and out of the bedroom, is natural and good. It’s a day when we throw off secrets, and revel in the uniqueness of our community and communities.
3. What is your next project?
Right now, I’m focused on fighting discrimination against sex workers and sexual speech online. Evangelicals have been gearing up for a war on porn, and sex workers more generally. As far as documentary work, I became very close with Holly Woodlawn in the years before she died, and promised her I’d tell her story. People think of her as a Warhol superstar, but her life was really so much more complex.
Instagram: @fauxjob
Twitter: @mikestabile