Shot over six years in Nepal, this compelling documentary looks at the successful rehabilitation of two female survivors of human trafficking. At the start of the film we witness a covert rescue operation carried out in darkness. It’s a brief, thrilling action scene that many film-makers would use as a climax, but by placing it here, directors Sky Neal and Kate McLarnon signal that their film is more interested in how people live after experiencing trauma, rather than the apex of its drama.
The film follows Saraswoti and Sheetal, two women who were sold to the circus as children. As young adults, they are members of Circus Kathmandu, an advocacy group made up of men, women and children who have been rescued from the same grim fate, and the country’s only legitimate circus. Here, survivors are able to repurpose their skills, performing all over the world and using storytelling to spread awareness about trafficking. At times it’s stingingly tough to watch, but a privilege to hear these women tell their stories in their own clear-eyed words.
