“Yes, you do have an advantage,” says the circus director to the man with no arms or legs. “The greater the struggle the more glorious the triumph.”
Watch for the butterfly.
“The Butterfly Circus” is truly a gem in the indie film archive where miracles of artistic expression await our discovery. Directed by Joshua Weigel, this masterpiece of insight is a 15-minute short that promises inspiration and hope.
“Butterfly” is a life analogy reminiscent of Shakespeare’s quote: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances.”
It’s just that the writers of this beautiful little film envision two stages, two realities — two circuses. We can be in the superficial one, based on what we look like, with our given attributes, or the one where we work on developing our infinite potential. We can be in the one where we are passive victims of fate or we can be the masters of our victory over all negativity that invariably comes our way in life’s inexplicable circus of happenstance.
We have choices.
The handsome, dark, charismatic Mendez, played with mesmerizing captivation by Eduardo Verástegui, hypnotizes the viewer, drawing us into this touching film with an irresistible strength. He is the leader of the alternative circus, the one where people master a talent and exhibit a certain practiced mastery over their environment.
Also starring Doug Jones, Nick Vujicic, Matt Allmen, Connor Rosen, Kirk Bovill, Mark Atteberry and Holly Persell, “The Butterfly Circus” won the 2009 Doorpost Film Project Top Prize Award.
“The Butterfly Circus” also won the 2009 Best Short Film at the Method Fest Film Festival where Nick Vujicic, my new hero, also won the award for Best Actor in a short film.
Vujicic was born without arms or legs through a rare Tetra-amelia genetic disorder where both incidence and survival are rare. But he found his talent and has become a celebrated international motivational speaker and pastor: http://www.attitudeisaltitude.com/aboutus-nick.php
When you view him speak, you note his amazing effervescent positivity and his transfixed audience. Man, woman, child, adult – fall in love with him.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Vujicic, handsome at 27 years of age, now lives in California where he is head of a non-profit called Life Without Limbs.
“Life Without Limbs: From No Limbs To No Limits” an inspirational DVD on his life, shows how he manages his everyday life and presents him giving one of his inspirational speeches. His book, “Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life,” will be released Oct. 26, 2010.
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FINE AND THOUGHTFUL REVIEW, THANK YOU BEV QUESTAD, AND I WOULD AGREE THAT NICK IS AN EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUAL. HERE IS A GUY WHO CAN TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK, EVEN WITH NO LEGS.
NICK REVEALS THAT EACH OF US HAVE TALENTS AND ABILITIES THAT DIFFER FROM ONE ANOTHER. AS NICK SPOKE TO AN AUDIENCE OF TEENAGERS, THE STRENGTH OF MIND AND HEART THAT IS NICK’S GIFT WAS CLEAR FROM THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES ON THE FACES IN THE CROWD.
THERE AREN’T MANY WHO CAN STAND BEFORE A CROWD OF TEENS AND MAKE A COMMUNICATION THAT BRINGS EMOTIONAL TEARS AND WARM EMBRACES AFTERWARD. NICK CAN DO THIS BECAUSE HE HAS GROWN A BIG HEART AND HAS BECOME A SPIRIT HELPER.
THE LESSON IS THAT WE ALL HAVE TALENTS AND ABILITIES, SOME OBVIOUS, SOME QUITE HIDDEN, AND NICK DEMONSTRATES HOW FINDING OUR UNDERLYING JOY AND PURPOSE IN LIFE CAN BE DONE, SEEMINGLY AGAINST ALL ODDS.
GO NICK, YOU ROCK!!
Terry,
I think you are using the correct term: Spirit Healer. Very good. Thanks.
Terry,
I think you are using the correct term: Spirit Healer. Very good. Thanks.
Well, I hope this doesn’t turn into a “China Syndrome” moment when something being spilled on the keyboard shorts out the whole endeavor. I love movies with a lesson and lift the human spirit. I didn’t make it very far into this short without crying. Since I’m watching this at my desk I noticed that there were some tears hitting the keyboard. Fortunately there was no malfunction.
This is without a doubt one of the best short movies I’ve seen in a long time AND I watch a lot of them! I’m a member of a group called the Spiritual Cinema Circle. Once a month I get a DVD that is filled with movies that are of the same “Spiritual Cinema” genre that I believe this falls into.
There is no point in trying to say why this movie moved me when it did simply that. This is what movies were meant to do. This movie inspires. It breathes life into what we see as possible for our lives. It will move you to ask what it is that you might do to go beyond where you would stop. Watch it and let yourself be moved over and over and over again. Great job to all involved!
This movie is amazing! Very uplifting and pulls on your heart strings. Thanks for sharing such a heart warming movie with the world.
It looks like the short is no longer available on this site – so go to:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtxANzN2Woo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4um8qubQh0&NR=1