'Circus Dreams' To Air On WUSF

Mark your calendars and set your Tivos because WUSF Public Media will air the delightful and inspiring family film Circus Dreams on Sunday, April 1!

The film had its U.S. premier at the 2011 Sarasota Film Festival.

Winner of awards at film festivals from coast to coast, Circus Dreams follows the adventures of a troupe of teens and tweens who astonish and delight audiences around New England on a Big Top Tour. The vibrant production captures the energy, perseverance, teamwork and deep friendships at Circus Smirkus, the acclaimed Vermont-based youth circus, as the cast readies a brand-new show and takes it on the road for 70 performances in 14 towns over seven weeks. From the grueling training and rigorous rehearsals to the emotional final show of the season, Circus Dreams documents a magical summer for a group of extraordinary young people.

Featured players in Circus Dreams include best friends and clown partners Joy Powers and Maddy Hall who battle self-doubt and tradition as they aim to prove that “girls can be funny, too,” a mission that eventually sends one to the pinnacle of circus success: touring with the Ringling Circus. Juggler Jacob Tischler overcomes the isolation he’s experienced at home to find a place among kindred spirits. The magnetic supporting cast includes death-defying aerialists and two brothers on a quest to become the best diabolo jugglers in the world. They are joined by a charismatic collection of fellow troupers, coaches and crew who share a passion for the circus. Fun for the whole family – and a must-see for circus enthusiasts – Circus Dreams is an inspiring testament to the power of youthful dreams.

Circus Dreams had its U.S. premiere at the 2011 Sarasota Film Festival, getting a warm reception in the “Home of the American Circus.” Now viewers in Sarasota, Tampa, St. Pete and throughout west-central Florida can share in the magic when Circus Dreams airs on WUSF TV on Sunday, April 1, at 1:30 p.m. WUSF will rebroadcast Circus Dreams on April 25, April 27 and again on May 1. Visit www.wusf.usf.edu or check local listings for broadcast times and to find out where to locate WUSF-TV on your television.

Filmmaker Signe Taylor discovered Circus Smirkus when she and her family moved to Vermont. A junior high and high school media arts teacher for many years, Taylor had long been frustrated by limited media options for teens and tweens. At Smirkus, she saw the possibility of creating the kind of programming she wanted to share with her students and her own children. To pursue her dream, she cashed in her teacher retirement fund, bought an RV and devoted an entire summer to travel across five states, family in tow. “Mainstream media aimed at teens and tweens tends to feature a lot of negative stereotypes and rampant consumerism and really lacks positive role models, especially for girls,” Taylor said. “In Circus Dreams, I wanted to present a non-commercial, authentic and alternative vision of the struggles and triumphs of youth.”

Circus Dreams has received numerous festival awards, including:

• Indie Spec Award at the 2011 Boston International Film Festival
• Youth Jury Award at the 2011 Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children & Youth
• Best Films4Families Feature Award at the 2011 Seattle International Film
• Audience Choice for Best Feature Documentary at the 2011 Woods Hole Film Festival
• James Goldstone Award at the 2011 Vermont International Film Festival
• Best Feature Film at the 2012 Providence Children’s Film Festival.

Visitors to New England this summer can catch Circus Smirkus live on its 25^th anniversary tour. For more information, visit www.smirkus.org.

Circus Dreams is presented by Vermont Public Television, distributed by American Public Television and was made possible by the support of the Vermont Arts Council, Vermont Arts Endowment and the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the Filmmaker

A graduate of the Stanford University documentary film master’s program, Signe Taylor has produced, directed and/or edited a dozen films, including the award-winning Greetings from Iraq about the effects of Operation Desert Storm and the international embargo on Iraqi families. Her work has been nationally broadcast on public television and commercial networks and honored with awards from film festivals worldwide. 

About the Distributor

American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to America’s public television stations since 1961. Since 2004, APT has distributed approximately half of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new program titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies, including Circus Dreams, Rick Steves' Europe, Moyers & Company, Doc Martin, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Nightly Business Report, Globe Trekker, BBC World News, Diana Ross: For One and For All, Lidia's Italy, Rosemary & Thyme, Newsline, Simply Ming, Midsomer Murders, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, The Best of Soul Train and For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched and nationally distributed Create® – the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. APT is also a partner in WORLD™, public television’s premier news and documentary channel.