Joshua Weigel's exceptional short film The Butterfly Circus (written by Joshua Weigel and Rebekah Weigel) is a powerfully inspirational Nietzschean tale of dignity, will to power and self-creation.
At the height of the Great Depression, the charismatic showman of the renowned Butterfly Circus leads his troupe through the devastated American landscape, lifting the spirits of audiences along the way. During their travels, they discover a quadriplegic man ridiculed as a degrading side show attraction at a carnival… but after an intriguing encounter with the Butterfly showman, he becomes driven to hope against everything he has ever believed about himself and his possibilities.
With graceous eloquence & elegance, the performers embody the belief that their acts should inspire and awe the audience-- not shock or disgust with their peculiarities.
The main character, a man with no arms or legs (Incredibly played by Nick Nujicic-- an actual quadriplegic; not done with special FX), gradually realizes he has the power to change his self-perception and how he lives his life.
However, it is perhaps no accident that he accomplishes this in a nourishing environment of acceptance and encouragement.
Life with a disability does not inherently make you less human… is NOT necessarily a life without value, hope, meaning or purpose.
Beautiful cinematography complements beautiful acting and beautiful writing in The Butterfly Circus.
No comments:
Post a Comment