Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, seen through the eyes of two young people. Twelve-year-old Zahra is full of life and energy, but because she is a girl, her schooling will end when she is fourteen, putting an end to her dreams. For Zalgai, a boy of the same age, the situation is different, but the outcome will be much the same: because his father is ill, adult family responsibilities await him. While they still can, they enjoy the local children’s circus with the other children. There they play and juggle, almost as an act of resistance.
While filming her directorial debut, Camille Bildsøe prioritized the safety, trust, and consent of everyone involved. In a lively observational style, she follows Zahra, Zalgai, their families, and other children over the course of two years. We see their daily lives in a poor neighborhood of Kabul, where Taliban restrictions are not the only factor that cuts childhood short. The circus offers the children an escape, and with it a glimmer of hope.
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