'Circus Without Borders' Premieres in St. Louis, Chicago and Philadelphia

During the first two weeks of December, the Pulitzer Center brings filmmakers and performers from Circus Without Borders to three U.S. cities: St.Louis, Chicago and Philadelphia.
Circus Without Borders follows Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura, best friends and world-class acrobats from remote corners of the globe who share the same dream: To bring hope and change to their struggling communities through circus. Their dream unfolds in the Canadian Arctic and Guinea, West Africa, where they help Inuit and Guinean youth achieve unimaginable success while confronting suicide, poverty and despair.
Both troupes use art and the power of dreams to transform themselves and their communities. Seven years in the making, this tale of two circuses — Artcirq and Kalabante — is a culture-crossing performance piece that offers a portal into two remote communities, and an inspiring story of resilience and joy.
Circus Without Borders was the opening film for the 2015 Margaret Mead Film Festival in NYC.
Performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura will be present at all screenings–and will treat the audiences to a special performance.
The public screenings are tied to the Pulitzer Center's educational outreach program, which will also bring the film, filmmakers and performers into secondary schools in St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington DC.
Producer Linda Matchan is a Canadian-born documentary filmmaker and feature writer for The Boston Globe, and a Pulitzer Center grantee. She has a special interest in the Canadian Arctic and has reported on social issues affecting the Inuit for the Pulitzer Center in her project "Nunavut, Canada: Hope on Ice," which developed into Circus Without Borders.
Director Susan Gray is an award-winning documentary film director, writer and producer who has produced documentary films for worldwide television broadcast, festivals and cinema, working from Europe, Africa and the United States. She is the director of broadcast development at Northern Light Productions.
All screenings are FREE:
Tuesday, December 1 7:00 pm Nerinx Hall High School Auditorium 530 E Lockwood Avenue Webster Groves, MO Q&A discussion with producer Linda Matchan and performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura will follow the screening.
Friday, December 4 8:00 pm CircEsteem 4730 N. Sheridan Road Chicago, IL 60640 Q&A discussion with producer Linda Matchan and performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura will follow the screening. Click here for more information and to RSVP
Monday, December 7 7:00 pm International House Philadelphia 3701 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA Q&A discussion with director Susan Gray and performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura will follow the screening. Nathalie Applewhite, Pulitzer Center Managing Director, will introduce and moderate the panel. Click here for more information and to RSVP
View the Circus Without Borders trailer from Northern Light Productions on Vimeo.
2015 | 70 minutes | Canada, Guinea, U.S.A. Director: Susan Gray Producer: Linda Matchan Editor: Andrew Kukura Executive Producers: Nicole Guillemet & Bestor Cram Associate Producer: Taylor Dueweke
For more information about the film visit www.circuswithoutborders.com