RIGA IFF: Cirka puika

Julia Lemke, Anna Koch
Circusboy
Zirkuskind
DE
2025, 86’, de
Age 7+

 

Santino is not just a regular child. He grew up on the stage, next to baby camels and ponies, with gel in his hair and acrobatics lessons before lunch. Coming from a family of traditional circus artists that has captivated audiences for generations, he performs alongside his parents, cousins and other relatives. Travelling from place to place and spending his days basking in the applause, the passionate Santino never stands still. However, as the times change and his eleventh birthday comes, the boy starts asking his great-grandfather Ehe questions not only about the future of the circus and their community, but also what it means to grow older and grow up.

 

The film is a unique documentary portrait of one of Germany’s last circus families, met with great acclaim at its screening in the Berlinale’s Generation competition. The work from German directing duo Lemke and Koch is where a road film meets a coming-of-age drama, unfolding in a setting that spans a circus arena, backstage, and trailers and enclosures set up in a field. Paying homage to the once-popular American series Circus Boy (1956–1957), the dynamic film not only charts the changing face of the circus art form but also reflects on generational shifts. It delves into the conversations and connections among the four generations, exploring how to keep doing what you love and remain true to yourself in a family that is always on the move and calls no place home.