Pauwels' circus

The Pauwels are a Belgian-Jewish circus dynasty that can be traced back 200 years. Before World War II, many of Europe’s circuses were run and owned by Jewish families. The Nazis destroyed most of those families and today only a small remnant has survived. Marquis Pauwels, one of these survivors, runs a small travelling circus that includes his wife and two children. He is the main clown and musician while his teenage son, Samuel, is its brilliant juggler. This unusual family’s priorities are clear: the art of the circus, survival of the family business and preservation of their Jewish heritage.