Circo
directed by
Lamia Chraibi
Ontario Premiere
In Rio de Janeiro, Richard dreams of dazzling audiences in the world’s biggest circus tents. But when the 20-year-old artist is kicked out of his home by his adoptive mother, his life is turned upside down. His once-clear dream begins to drift out of focus, and he embarks on a lengthy quest to find his way.
Programmer's Notes
Richard, a 20-year-old Afro-queer circus performer in Rio de Janeiro, sees his dreams of dazzling under the big top upended when he’s suddenly kicked out by his adoptive mother in the debut documentary Circo. Shot over five years in an intimate cinéma vérité style, the film traces Richard’s journey to find belonging, identity, and artistic purpose while navigating the challenges of favela life.
Director Lamia Chraibi takes us deep into Richard’s world—his vibrant drag community, his spiritual connection to Candomblé, and the emotional anchor of his sister, who is fighting for custody of her daughter. The film captures Richard in practice at the circus, his body moving through space with precision and grace. These moments, beautifully framed and often bathed in natural light, reveal the poetry of performance as both discipline and escape.
Circo is a portrait of becoming, told through the rhythm of a body in motion. Richard’s path weaves through hardship and beauty, and the film captures the quiet strength it takes to turn survival into artistry. It’s a story of resilience shaped as much by dreaming as by enduring.
- Safia Abdigir
Cast
N/A
About the Director
Lamia Chraibi, a French-Moroccan filmmaker based in Montreal, creates poetic documentaries centered on social justice, identity, and belonging. Trained at the Sorbonne (Paris) and L’inis—Institut national de l'image et du son (Montreal)—her films have screened internationally and are recognized for their human-centric vision. Through trust-building, she amplifies marginalized voices and has honed a distinctive voice in contemporary documentary cinema.