 CIRCUS BOYS (Russia/USA 2002) Producer: Baikal Films in association with Top Quality Video. Director: Andrey Ivanov. Cast: Alexander Bogdanov, Roman Hlybov, and the young acrobats of the Palace of Culture. Running time: 92 minutes. Color. In Russian with English subtitles. Unrated. Ever wonder whether the legendary circus performers of Eastern Europe are trained or just born for the spotlight? Well it turns out to be a little of both. Baikal Films takes us on a journey to snowy Siberia for an intimate portrait of determined youth in quest of athletic glory. Meet Alexander and Roman, two cuter-than-cute boys who are most certainly on their way to big-top fame. These nimble youngsters are definitely born with a gift, but they also know their talents must be honed to perfection. So each day they re off to the gymnasium to practice under the watchful eye of their coach. There, along with dozens of other talented kids, the boys practice juggling, tumbling, high-wire walking, and even contorting their agile young bodies into human pretzels. All culminating in a winter holiday performance in front of a packed hall of costumed revelers. Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, it s with great pride and pleasure that we turn our attention to the center ring for an amazing look at the exciting lives of Circus Boys!