Mike Stabile’s new documentary Seed Money: The Chuck Holmes Story chronicles the life of Falcon Studios founder Chuck Holmes.

Holmes’ story is a true American tale: A small-town boy from Indiana heads to San Francisco in the 1970’s to experience life and, while he’s there, ends up coming out, building an empire that defined the mainstream gay identity, and rubbing shoulders with political elite and industry powerhouses. Toward the end of his life, he used his fortune to bankroll the earliest efforts of LGBT activists and amplify awareness during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

His contributions to gay culture and his philanthropic work are important historically, yet virtually no one outside the adult industry remembers his name.

We chatted with Stabile about the reasons why that is, the importance of Chuck’s legacy, and what inspired him to tell Chuck’s story.

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