Over the course of a year, eleven-year-old Santino grows up in a traveling circus family with his parents, aunts, uncles, brother, a bunch of animals, and his great-grandpa Ehe, one of the last great circus ringmasters. As he moves from town to town with his troupe, navigating instability but finding his ground within this tight-knit community, Santino begins to carve out his own place in the ring.
The magic of the circus is brought to life with charming animations in this feel-good documentary about a nomadic family’s dedication to their craft. Entertaining yet full of wisdom, Zirkuskind’s heartfelt exploration of belonging will delight audiences of all ages.
“It is an immersive and fun experience that makes you feel like you are part of a beautiful, different reality.”
Nicolas Santé businessdoceurope.com 17/02/2025
Special Mention of Children’s Jury, Generation Kplus, Berlina International Film Festival, 2025, de
Julia LEMKE
Julia Lemke is a Berlin-based documentary filmmaker and writer who studied at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin, where she met her collaborator collaboratrice Anna Koch. Under the name Badabum Duo, they have made three feature-length documentaries: Glitter & Dust (2020), about cowgirl culture in the United States; Win by Fall (2016), about women’s wrestling in East Germany; and Circusboy (2025).
Anna Koch is a Berlin-based documentary filmmaker and writer who studied at Berlin’s German Film and Television Academy with Julia Lemke. Together, they have collaborated as the Badabum Duo on numerous documentaries, including Glitter & Dust (2020), which was screened widely on the international festival circuit, and their award-winning graduation film Win by Fall (2016). Circusboy (2025) is their third feature-length documentary.
