Circus Without Borders

This documentary tells the tale of two circuses–one from above the Arctic Circle, the other from West Africa–which come together against all odds. Acrobats Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura meet in Montreal’s acclaimed Cirque Eloize, and return to their homes to transform their struggling communities with the power of performance.

Both performers’ homes are reeling from a legacy of colonialism which has decimated their cultures and resulted in desperate social problems: wretched poverty and massive unemployment in Guinea; drugs, apathy, and suicide in the Arctic.

When the performers visit one another in their respective countries, they see that despite their differences, they are mirror images of each other. They begin to see themselves as empowered participants determined to build a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities rather than as victims.

This presentation is co-presented with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.