The Circus
Seen it?2010 | 7 min | Animation
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With soft box office and little lasting buzz, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for animation lovers.
- The mood
- Feel-good.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 7 min.
- What might put you off
- No age rating on record, so check it first for young kids.
- It's in French, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
In the vestibule of a hospital room, a young boy waits to see his dying mother. The clamor and spiralling movements of bodies around him intensify, forming a grotesque circus—a cacophonous circle that pushes the child back, depriving him of one final touch of his mother's hand. Using rotoscoped drawings suggestive of charcoal sketches, as well as 3D and object animation techniques, The Circus compels viewing with its unsettling realism. Colour is employed metaphorically to subtly express the promise and the memory of maternal affection. Nicolas Brault's highly personal film, suffused with poetic modesty, casts a poignantly sincere gaze on the heartbreak of a child facing the fearful, mysterious experience of his mother's death.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 43K people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by Nicolas Brault
- Sophie Clément(Voice)
- Josée Lefebvre(Voice)
- Marie-Ève Milot(Voice)
- Jacques Godin(Voice)
- Jean-Pierre Bergeron(Voice)