Babooska

A year in the life of members of a troupe of circus performers. The circus is named Il Floriciccio.It starts with the 20th birthday party of Babooska and ends with her 21th. From winter through summer and back to winter, travelling from small town to small town in northern Italy and performing often to meager audiences.We see little of the circus performances. The documentary concentrates instead on a few of the troupe’s members, especially Babooska and her family. It is an insightful, behind-the-tarp look at their daily life, living in motor homes and moving frequently, dealing with ailments that force sudden changes in personnel, coping with town bureaucracies and irate restaurant owners who feel the circus is trespassing on their turf.The film closes with one of Babooska’s performances: the Hula-Hoop. Quaint.