Even When I Fall, as the title suggests, is a tale of redemption. The subjects of the documentary, the real life issues rampant affecting them, and Tibet as a country all go through redeeming journeys through the course of this documentary.
The doc starts on a low and ends on a massive high. First, we learn about the circus industry through Tibet and India, and how it’s a big front for smuggling children and women away from their families and into a gypsy-like community where they are forcibly married and bred. As these women are rescued and rehabilitated, their inner psyche is fascinating as they come to grips with the outside world. It’s a triumph to see them rise above their challenges and perform to crowds of thousands, even making it to Glastonbury Festival in a very moving performance.
Sheetal was married to the ringmaster’s son, and enjoyed a relatively privileged life in the circus. After she was rescued, she goes through many stages of anger, denial, even wistfully remembering her old life where she didn’t have to worry about anything, but now, being a single mother and needing to support two boys, life legitimately becomes a lot harder. We forget that she is actually a teenager (the girls do not know their exact ages), and of course would have this reaction. A poignant scene of her playfully interacting with two girls, showing them photos of her old life, and the sassy jokes that follow show a relieving turn to normalcy from a girl who, two weeks ago, wouldn’t speak to anyone at the refugee facility.
If anyone wants an inspiring feminist story, this is the doc for you. There is a brutal scene in which the group who was rescued has formed a legitimate circus of their own, Circus Kathmandu, to earn their living with the skills they have and the community they share. The women in the circus lament that they are immediately branded as prostitutes and gypsies, despite having no choice in their previous life. They are slandered and treated like lepers, and their frankness in these truths show how difficult breaking these stereotypes are.
Even When I Fall shows that being yourself, and living your life, is enough. For everyone. It’s about rising from your own ashes and creating your own fate. As Tibet goes through massive challenges – the 2015 earthquake showcased in the doc is one – Circus Kathmandu faces it’s own disaster and rehabilitations. The resilience of the people and the country is enough to show anyone that, even when you fall, life can still pick you up.
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