Sensitive insight into the realities of circus life - Film review of " The Tight Rope"

La Cuerda Floja – The Tight Rope -  An intimate and beautifully filmed story of people with "circus in their blood". Film review by Trish Thalman. This film can be seen again on Sunday night 18 April at 22:00 at the Capitole 2 cinema in Nyon. “What people want to see at a circus is a clown, animals and trapeze artists”. The wise words of the ‘clown/ringmaster’ who is head of the family-run, travelling Aztlan Circus in Mexico. Their show has all of the above. Everyone in the family is dedicated to defined, multi-tasking roles: from animal trainer, to ticket taker, to trapeze artist. We see an intimate and beautifully filmed story of people with ‘circus in their blood’ as they go about their daily lives, moving from town to dusty town in rusted vans and trucks creaking from the weight of the tent poles, miles of ropes, an aging canvas tent, the hair-sprayed ‘pink’ poodle that rides a pony, and a talented goat that rehearses every day and therefore does well at each performance. Practice and more practice for every one of the circus performers is daily routine. The ingrained philosophy is: "ability conquers danger". This keeps the circus disciplined, honourable and energetic. Click here to see trailer: film courtesy Instituto Mexicano de Cine The details devoted to raising the tent, caring for the animals, preparing beans for breakfast in the cramped, converted bus that is the family home, scrambling to find false eyelashes and rhinestones at the last minute for the trapeze artist are reflected in lingering, slow-moving shots as well as the frantic, blurred vision of ‘last minute details’ from the hand-held camera. The variety of colours, warm and luminous, dark and dreary, provide sensitive insight to the realities, passion and energy of the harsh, yet dignified and honest circus life, which is changing.The daughter of the family has married a young man who comes ‘into’ the performing family and is not necessarily talented in the skills of circus acts. He does have modern technology skills, as he happily downloads the musical overture from the classic 1952 film, ‘The Greatest Show on Earth, onto his iPod. The music is used as background for his noisy, voice-over, recorded publicity announcing that ‘the circus is in town’. Life under the big top and on-the-road is not for him. He would like to leave the circus in spite of his love and great respect for his wife and her family, and his improving juggling skills. The filmmaker is given free and unlimited access to the family and their sensitive life events during the critical stages where the young couple discuss leaving the circus to live another life together without the family. The confusing emotions of the daughter’s loyalty to her family and love for the circus that is her life, and practically, the consequences for the family’s existence without her are poignantly and tenderly resolved. Do the young couple have the ability to conquer the dangers that lie ahead for them outside of the circus. Even with the ever-present red ants that bite everyone at the circus ground, there is a cheerful, humorous solution: rub raw garlic on the bite to stop the stinging. This elegantly crafted film can be seen again on Sunday night 18 April at 22:00 at the Capitole 2 Cinema in Nyon. Trish Thalman is an American from California living in Gland, near Nyon and will be reviewing a selection of films throughout the festival.