Babooska (2005)

Marina de Vincentis, Azzurra Gerardi, Babooska Gerardi, Ciccio Gerardi, Patrizia Gerardi

Babooska Gerardi is a 20-year-old woman who works in the family business -- she performs an elaborate hula-hoop act with a traveling circus that wanders through Italy, performing for audiences whereve... read more r it can find them. Finding those audiences isn't as easy as it once was, especially during the winter months, when Babooska and her colleagues are unable to deliver preview performances in town squares and people aren't as interested in venturing out. But in spite of dwindling audiences and low pay, Babooska and her family press on, and she drives from town to town in an aging mobile home with her young daughter, who has learned to live with the changing landscape of life on the road. Filmmakers Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel spent several months traveling with Babooska, and edited their footage into a documentary which chronicles the hard work and difficult circumstances that come with life in the circus, as well as the tight family bonding and thrill of performing that helps make it all worthwhile. Babooska received its North American debut at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi