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The Circus Tent (Thamp̄) (PG)

Rewriting the Rules

Two women hold hands whilst riding on bicycles.

A visually stunning and poetic exploration of the inner lives of a travelling circus trope in which old age, loneliness and regret becomes magnified through Govindan Aravindan’s salient observation.

In the dialogue-free opening to The Circus Tent, we follow a truck as it meanders its way through the costal landscape of Kerala, coming to a stop at a local town where the children come running excitedly to greet the travelling circus. 

The arrival of the circus feels ritualistic, celebratory, but more importantly an outlet for the local people, an enthralling spectacle they can escape into for a short time. The Circus Tent is hailed by many as Keralan filmmaker Govindan Aravindan’s masterpiece. 

The restoration of The Circus Tent in 2021 by the Film Heritage Foundation, India, brings to life the extraordinary pictorial sensibilities of a film that has thankfully been reclaimed and is now being rediscovered by a new generation of filmgoers. 

India 1978 Dir Govindan Aravindan 129 min Malayalam with English subtitles Digital presentation

Screening courtesy of the Film Heritage Foundation and Second Run DVD. The Circus Tent is available for home viewing on blu-ray. 

£10.40

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