dianejoy-baker3 A member of my choir recommended this gorgeous film, and I am so glad! I'm amazed that so much can be done with 22 minutes of film. Its warm, inspiring tone is moving, the essence of the Great Depression and circus aspects are first- rate. Each element is at once true, realistic, and entertaining. The acting is low-key, and the story line goes in unexpected directions. Not a predictable note occurs. Actually, at first, I wasn't sure I'd like it, but it won me over in the end. It has won a Doorpost Award deservedly. I hope we'll hear more from the artists behind "Butterfly Circus," for this is the kind of film that cheers the heart, fills the eye with beauty and makes cinema fans want to make their own films to match the wonder, which we certainly need more of in our lives. This is what good film is meant to do.

djansen24 This film flies by in 20 min. with not a wasted second. Set in the Great Depression, it focuses on an inspirational traveling circus called the "Butterfly Circus". And most especially on the "limbless man" who stows away with them. This film goes as deep as it can in the short time span, so naturally none of the characters can be fully fleshed out. Yet it packs an emotional punch. And each character is given just enough face time so the audience cares about them. To the extremely jaded, they might be skeptical of such an inspirational film as this, but for the majority, this film will lift your spirit, especially if you are a teenager. Although the filmmakers and its star are all Christian, the spiritual message is more buried here, making it immediately accessible to anyone of any persuasion.I have seen many modern Christian films, and with the exception of the outstanding Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson, most were lamentable. Their budget could not support state of the art special effects and many of the actors seemed to be church buddies of the director with minimal experience. But what was the worst was the poor and superficial script writing. So Butterfly Circus comes off as a real delight. Still working with a limited budget, the director and cast clearly knew how to make use of their resources. The acting, while not Oscar worthy, is realistic and convincing. The script, while unable to be exceptionally deep because of the short running time, is provocative enough to touch the heart. You feel like you're "there" in the story. And the lighting and music are first rate, giving a dreamy feel to the entire production. The ringmaster Mendes says, "What this world needs is a little wonder!" In its own small way, that is the feeling you are left with after viewing this gem.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) This film by director Joshua Weigel is about a cabinet of curiosities and runs for little over 20 minutes. Basically, it's a bit of a road movies as we see circus performances, but also how paths of the artists cross with the random population always stuck between fascination and disgust for the creatures that make up the ensemble. The cast members are rather unknown with one exception maybe, Doug Jones known a.o. as Pan from Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth".It's a nice idea as there's not too many films on the issue, even less short films, but this one did not do much for me. The shocking sequences (a limbless man almost drowning) felt as unconvincing as the emotional (the child's hug towards the end), so I'm a bit baffled by the high rating. There's really nothing in this effort that justifies a running time over way over 15 minutes. Weigel hasn't made a film for almost five years and if he ever wants to step into full feature territory, he will need to step things up. I hope he manages, as, occasionally, glimpses of talent were visible. If you enjoyed the likes of Terry Gilliam's "Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus", give this one a go, otherwise stay away.

joannhunt35 This is a phenomenal movie! Gorgeous, and with a loving spirit. The US Depression period is captured with sensitivity. The movie grabs you and takes you along on the Butterfly Circus's travels. It is very professionally done - color is great, scenes very effective. There is an economy of action, yet it feels like a full-length movie. The story is poignant but not maudlin. I loved the opening scene with the old cars traveling across the dusty plain. The actor Vujicic makes the story so hopeful. I hope it will be made into a full-length film and played in theaters everywhere. I wanted to see more of each character,learn their backgrounds and how they found the Butterfly Circus. Also, I'm interested in what motivated the ringmaster.