The topic seems at first to be esoteric — a great trapeze artist succeeds early on in doing something "impossible" and then later retires — but the film itself is an extremely well made and at times amazing combination of family and industry history. It never loses its focus on the performers themselves, especially the main performer, the legendary Miguel Vasquez. Several things are appealing about the film:
NOTE: This is my personal review of one of the films shown at the 2015 Alexandria Film Festival (http://alexandriafilm.org/); I'm one of the Festival judges.
- The focus on family and personality.
- The interweaving of circus and trapeze history.
- The skillful editing.
- The alternation between seeing the performers as they are now and as they were when young.
- Timely statements by circus historians about the significance of what we are seeing.
- The forthright and honest addressing of the real dangers and tragedies that such a dangerous profession involves.
- Most of all, the pleasure of watching professionals work so hard at something real and physical that combines artistry, athleticism, and intelligence.
NOTE: This is my personal review of one of the films shown at the 2015 Alexandria Film Festival (http://alexandriafilm.org/); I'm one of the Festival judges.
