Toda una vida

Directed by

Jacqueline van Vugt

The Rey Gitano Circus in Guatemala is a genuine family business. After their father’s death, the five Lopez brothers run the operation with their mother. However, the widow has resolutely taken over at the helm, which makes it hard for the sons. But her strict management style and frugality bear fruit: the circus grows, the audiences come flocking in. The brothers all play different roles during the show: Christiaan has his tigers and Paco does a trapeze act; Jim is a clown and Jerry entertains the crowd as the ringmaster. The more business flourishes, the more tensions rise among the brothers. They all dream of starting their own circuses, being their own bosses, but none of them has yet succeeded. One ill-fated day, Paco leaves the circus, abandoning his family. But the appeal of circus life appears too strong, and blood turns out to be thicker than water.