THE BALLOON MAN

Circus Smirkus documentary to be shown at Boston International Film Festival
The documentary is the work of filmmaker Signe Taylor, who spent months traveling with the non-profit circus

Published: Monday, March 14, 2011 By The Republican Entertainment Desk, www.masslive.com
Circus Dreams, a documentary on Circus Smirkus - the acclaimed, traveling, Vermont-based youth circus - will be shown in April at the Boston International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival for Children and Youth, and the Sarasota Film Festival.
The documentary is the work of award-winning, Norwich, Vt., filmmaker Signe Taylor, who spent months several years ago traveling with the non-profit circus during its summer Big Top Tour, capturing the youthful energy, idealism, cooperative sprit and joy of the production on film.
"It's designed to counterbalance the negative, confining stereotypes imposed on teens and tweens by the US mainstream media," Taylor said of her movie. "Circus Dreams presents an inspiring, authentic and alternative vision of the struggles and triumphs of youth."
The film spotlights four compelling main characters and what Taylor describes as a "charismatic supporting cast" of performers, coaches and crew. Those featured are Joy Powers, of Lexington, Jacob Tischler, of St. George, Vt.; Maddy Hall of Washington, DC; and Thula Martin of Pahoa, HI. All four have since graduated from Smirkus and gone on to other endeavors - Tischler and Hall at college, and Martin and Powers in professional circus arts. Powers has gone on to work as a clown in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and to be part of a clowning group called the Piccolini Trio, with two other Smirkus alumni.
Ed LeClair, executive director of Circus Smirkus, said he was delighted that Taylor's film is bringing the "magic and inspiration of Smirkus" to a wider audience. The only traditional traveling youth circus in the country, Smirkus "welcomes everyone to the celebration, said LeClair. "We challenge kids to engage in life-enhancing adventures through the circus arts. We keep these traditional arts alive."
"We are grateful that [Taylor] chose to shine a spotlight on us," he said. "And we are happy for her and for ourselves that these renowned film festivals saw the merit in the project."
The Sarasota Film Festival shows Circus Dreams on April 9 and 11, while the film will be shown at the Boston International Film Festival on April 18.The Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children and Youth is screening the film three times, including the prestigious closing spot at 4:15 pm on April 17.
"Our Closing Night is an extremely prestigious slot, and we reserve that for an exceptional film that speaks to our audience and gives them a window into a world they wouldn't normally see," said festival spokeswoman Amanda Lee. "This is part of our mission to 'transform the way people see the world' and is why Circus Dreams is a perfect Closing Night film." The festival opens with a Pixar "Toy Story Toon" called Hawaiian Vacation.
"After working on Circus Dreams for so long, I was delighted when it was accepted to the festival and then absolutely thrilled when it was invited to be their Closing Night film," said Taylor. "When I read the invitation, I started jumping up and down and screaming. I felt a lot like the kids in Circus Dreams when they are accepted to Smirkus!"
A graduate of the Stanford University documentary film master's program, Taylor has produced, directed and/or edited a dozen films, including the award-winning Greetings from Iraq, in 1994, about the effects of Operation Desert Storm and the international embargo on Iraqi families. That film was broadcast by PBS, along with several short films that Taylor produced for the station's ZOOM program..