‘Stage of Survival’ gained international acclaim

Probal Rashid's short documentary "Stage of Survival", a film about the traveling circus in Bangladesh, has received international acclaim. The film recently won a second-place in the documentary category at the 12th Egeart Short Film Competition in Turkey. This year, a total of 3,111 films participated from 100 countries. "Stage of Survival" has also been officially selected and screened at several prestigious international festivals, including the New York Lift-Off Film Festival and the NanoCon International Film Festival (NIFF) in the United States.

The documentary presents a powerful and intimate portrait of a performance art that has been an integral part of Bangladesh's cultural fabric for nearly 150 years. It highlights how generations from low-income families are born and raised within the circus, often trained as full-time performers from a young age without the opportunity for a formal education, leaving them with few alternative career paths.

In a comment, film editor Aashish Kiphayet said, "'Stage of Survival' is a story of strength and hope; on the other hand, it is the story of a traditional art form fading away."

Director Probal Rashid, who spent a decade on the project, shared his motivation. "I documented the famed Bulbul Circus until its final show in 2016, but the story continues today with troupes like Rajmoni Circus," he said. "The circus is more than entertainment; it's a memory and a tradition that refuses to disappear. This film tells the stories of the people who keep this world alive."

Both Rashid and Kiphayet are Bangladeshi documentary photographers based in Washington, D.C., USA.