Circusboy

Eleven-year-old Santino is at home at the circus. As a young member of the Frank circus family, he travels around the country in a caravan with their Arena circus, artists and animals. Santino loves to spend time with his eighty-year-old great-grandfather Ehe, one of Europe’s last great circus directors, who has become his best friend. Together, they share heartwarming stories; about friendship with an elephant, farewells, new beginnings and life on the road. Following the family for a whole year, starting with Santino's eleventh birthday, Circusboy goes behind the curtain to chronicle the lives of these modern nomads, capturing Santino’s experience growing up among an extended family and animals; a life without a safety net. Written and directed by Julia Lemke and Anna Koch, this is a magical documentary with animated sequences, about the power of storytelling, belonging and community.