Emmy-winning actor and producer Matt Bomer has joined the acclaimed short documentary Cashing Out as an executive producer, ahead of its wide release September 10 on The New Yorker’s website and YouTube channel. The emotionally resonant film sheds light on a little-known yet morally complex financial practice that emerged during the height of the AIDS epidemic, and the very personal connection its director has to it.
Directed by Matt Nadel, Cashing Out traces how, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, thousands of queer men living with AIDS — largely abandoned by their families and neglected by institutions, sold their life insurance policies to investors in exchange for immediate financial relief. These transactions, known as viatical settlements, gave many the ability to pay rent, access medication, or enjoy their final months with dignity. The investors, in turn, received the full death benefit when the person passed, often turning a profit in just a matter of weeks or months.
The film dives deep into this billion-dollar “AIDS profiteering” industry and unpacks the complicated moral questions it raises. At its core, Cashing Out is a meditation on how marginalized communities navigated death, dignity, and capitalism in the face of systemic abandonment — and what that still means today.
“In Cashing Out, Matt Nadel takes a deeply personal look into a very complicated issue that our community faced in the middle of an already unimaginable epidemic,” said Bomer. “It is an enlightening, emotional film that asks more questions than it answers, and looks at a difficult issue from several points of view. I was profoundly moved by Matt’s work and learned a great deal about the issues the movie addresses.”
Bomer joins fellow executive producers Angeria Paris VanMicheals, the RuPaul’s Drag Race alum and fan-favorite Atlanta queen, and Julie Cohen, the Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker behind RBG. The trio brings visibility, gravity, and generational LGBTQ+ perspective to a film that connects historical pain with urgent modern questions about access to healthcare, equity, and financial justice.
A Hidden Chapter of AIDS History
Cashing Out offers a rare look into how life insurance became an unexpected source of survival, and joy, for many people living with HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s.
Some participants in viatical settlements used the money for survival — basic necessities like rent or medication. Others splurged, embracing luxury and beauty in the face of death: they bought vacation homes, started businesses, or traveled the world. Investors, meanwhile, were betting on short lifespans.
“Queer pain shouldn’t be a cash grab,” VanMicheals said. “In Cashing Out, director Matt Nadel dives into a tough, personal story and does it with so much heart, smarts, and even some unexpected laughs. I’m so proud to help shine a light on the resilience and brilliance of people living with HIV and to bring this story to a big stage like The New Yorker.”
The film is produced by Luke Hodges and directed by Nadel, who uncovered a personal family connection to the viatical settlement industry during his research.
“I had never heard about this industry until I discovered a few years ago that I had an unnerving personal connection to it,” said Nadel. “Making this film gave me the opportunity not only to reckon with something personal, but also to connect AIDS history to timely questions around care, equity, and the cost of dignity in this country.”
Reception and Impact
Cashing Out made its world premiere at the Provincetown International Film Festival in 2024 and has since become a standout on the festival circuit, screening at DOC NYC, among others. The film had a sold-out theatrical run at Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film, drawing praise for its emotional depth and unique historical lens.
“This film tells an important story about a moment in history that has been largely forgotten,” said executive producer Julie Cohen. “Matt does such an incredible job of exploring this in a nuanced and thoughtful way that lets the audience fully immerse themselves with no preconceived judgment.”
Beyond its digital premiere on The New Yorker’s platforms, the filmmaking team is launching a national impact campaign in partnership with the National AIDS Memorial, aiming to make Cashing Out a tool for education and remembrance. The campaign will feature AIDS Memorial Quilt displays and screenings across the U.S., with a focus on engaging younger generations as stewards of LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS history.
A Broader Conversation
Cashing Out arrives at a moment when the political and economic conversation around queer lives, health access, and intergenerational trauma continues to evolve. Its focus on the human spirit — and the moral ambiguities within systems of survival — feels especially relevant in 2025, as communities still reckon with the long shadow of the AIDS epidemic and ongoing fights for healthcare justice.
The film is the latest installment in the New Yorker Documentary series, which showcases innovative short films that explore uncommon perspectives on vital issues.
Cashing Out premieres today, September 10, on The New Yorker’s website and YouTube channel.
