Laughter amid ruins: the Gaza circus story
Amid bombed-out buildings, Palestinian circus performers juggled, cartwheeled, and tried to spread joy despite war and famine, as depicted in a documentary screened at the Cairo International Film Festival.
Shot during the summer of 2024, while war raged in Gaza, 'One More Show', co-directed by Egyptian Mai Saad and Palestinian Ahmed el-Danaf, follows the daily life of the Free Gaza Circus. Danaf, 26 – still in the devastated enclave – captured footage of clowns, jugglers, and stilt walkers to bring Saad's vision to life.
"It was the first time I heard someone want to make a film about daily life, not just the bombing and the suffering," he told AFP in a text message. "The obstacles were clear: communications down, difficulties moving around, constant danger, and lack of equipment. But I felt we had to see it through."
Gradually, the footage was sent to Saad in Cairo, who edited the film over a year. "Everything we see in the news is from above – people reduced to numbers. I wanted to make a film from below, among the people," the 41-year-old director said. The result is a heartfelt film weaving humour, fatigue, and childhood innocence under the persistent fear of Israeli air strikes.
Helping each other
Performers are seen sharing what little face paint remains, helping one another prepare for shows in a school-turned-shelter. Dozens of children gather around a clown with a bright red nose, singing, laughing, and clapping along.
"The point was for these kids to see something besides the war and destruction that surrounds them," troupe founder Youssef Khedr told AFP by phone from Gaza.
A few weeks into filming, Israeli forces cut off northern Gaza from the rest of the territory. Short distances became impassable, forcing the directors to rely on footage shot by performers themselves as they scrambled to put shows together or spent terrifying nights under air strikes.
Khedr – a gymnastics and parkour specialist – fled the circus tent in Gaza City and moved south. From his tent in southern Gaza, he said he "did his best to keep training" to continue performing. But as humanitarian conditions deteriorated, simple staples such as potatoes and eggs became a luxury.
In July, the circus suspended activities due to "severe famine," saying it could not "offer psychological support to those who haven't had a bite to eat to ease their hunger."
'Exhausted by hunger'
By August, the United Nations confirmed famine in Gaza City, where the health ministry reported 157 child deaths from starvation. "Even we as artists have been exhausted by hunger," Khedr said. "There were days when we couldn't find anything to eat. I would buy 20 grams of sugar for $15, and sometimes all we had was formula milk."
Since October 7, 2023, more than 70,000 have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. Two of the troupe's performers have been killed, and three injured in strikes. Their rehearsal and workshop space in northern Gaza was destroyed.
After a fragile truce in October, circus performances resumed with far fewer resources. Danaf spent months moving from shelter to shelter to find an internet connection to send footage to Saad.
Unable to attend the premiere, as Palestinians cannot leave Gaza, he was present virtually: Saad carried a tablet on stage as the film won the Youssef Cherif Rizkallah Audience Award. The $20,000 prize will fund rebuilding a circus centre in Gaza, Saad said.