Circusboy

Circusboy (8+) 

Julia Lemke, Anna Koch, Germany, 2025, 86′,  in German with Slovene and English subtitles 

Santino is a circus kid. He travels the world with his large family and animals, growing up listening to the wild stories told by his great-grandfather Ehe: about the magnificent elephant Sahib, his first steps in the ring as a clown, and the feeling of freedom that makes all the hard work worthwhile. On Santino’s eleventh birthday, Ehe asks him if he would like to perform in the ring one day…   

Story
Santino is an eleven-year-old boy growing up on the road – his home is not a place, but a circus. Amid all the cities, tents, short-lived friendships, and constant moving, his childhood is a mix of play, curiosity, and responsibility. He loves spending time with his eighty-year-old great-grandfather, one of Europe‘s last great circus directors. Together, they share heartwarming stories – of a friendship with an elephant, of farewells, of new beginnings, and of life on the road. 

The film chronicles the lives of these modern nomads and, through a young boy‘s experience growing up, reflects a world that is slowly being forgotten. A world of untameable freedom, yet also full of vulnerability and uncertainty. A world so far removed and different from ours, yet still so close. The film received the The ECFA Award for Best European Children’s Documentary. 

Circus
The Frank family comes from a long tradition of circus performers, with nearly 200 years of histoRy in family-run circuses. Their most famous enterprise, the great-great-grandfather’s Circus Frankello, was especially successful in the 1960s and 70s, gaining international recognition for its elephant acts, including the renowned performance »Tarzan & Sahib« with the elephant bull Sahib. During the GDR era, the circus was expropriated and absorbed into a state-run circus, forcing the family to flee to West Germany and start again. In the 1980s, »Ehe« Frank founded Circus Arena, which is now run by his son Markus and grandson Gitano. The family has since stopped keeping wild animals. Today, about 20 family members run the circus, performing under a tent that holds around 600 visitors. Although audience numbers are declining and the work demands constant effort, the family remains deeply devoted to their life in the circus and proudly continues the tradition. Last year, they also visited Izola!

First-hand
»The circus is many things at the same time. It is a very magical place when you are a child: such a wild, free, colourful world. At the same time, it is really vulnerable now. It does not seem to fit in with our Zeitgeist, and it is easy to attack circus life with a ‘woke‘ mindset. We felt it was such a special way to grow up: you are always in the world’s best playground. At the same time, you are part of a closed community that has suffered many insults. Circuses have always been under attack because they have always been ‘othered‘. Their lifestyle is so different. They never fit in.« 

»Everybody knows what a ringmaster or a clown is, but they have no idea what happens after the show. So here, we have both: the unknown and the very known. The next question was: ‘How does it feel to grow up with all these traditions and a very specific identity?‘ You can really talk about collective memory here because these kids know their roots. Our kids don’t even know what their grandparents used to do for a living.« 

»When it was finished, we talked about its essence. What is it for us? We said: ‘It’s about connectedness.‘ Sometimes, they’d yell across the field: ‘I love you!‘ They try to be tough, but they are also gentle, tender, and warm with each other, constantly assuring each other of their love. People have told us that they feel inspired to take this home and reconnect with their loved ones. It sounds cheesy when you say it, as if it’s almost too earnest. But it’s also very pure.« — Julia Lemke and Anna Koch 

About the Creators
Berlin-based directing duo Badabum, Anna Koch and Julia Lemke, graduated from the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB) in 2016 with their award-winning documentary Schultersieg. Since then, they have continued collaborating as Badabum, creating documentary films that have screened at major festivals worldwide. Their latest film, Zirkuskind, premiered at the Berlinale 2025 in the Generation section as part of the initiative »Der besondere Kinderfilm.« 

Juggling workshop 
After the screening, we will juggle balls, scarves, and clubs at a workshop led by the Cirkokrog Association, spin diabolo, plates, and hoops, and explore the colourful world of circus arts.

Participation in the workshop is free of charge.

Also screening on Sunday, 14 June, at 16:30 at Kinodvor in Ljubljana.