Dutch circus tycoon Oscar Carré followed his dreams at any price. Circusheart shows the splendour and innovation that Oscar brought to the circus - waterballets, icerinks, battlescenes. With these giant spectacles he paved the way for Hollywood in the 20s and 30s. Up to this day, the Royal Circus Oscar Carré is one of the famous landmarks of Amsterdam.
The Circusheart still resonates in the Carre-dynasty. Maurice Carré sr., Oscar’s grandson, still worked in the circus all his life. And Louann Carré, Maurice’s daughter, hangs by her hair 30 meters above the ground as part of her flying act. In the film she uncovers some astonishing details about her great-grandfather’s life.
Oscar's specialty was the dressage of horses. At a time when life revolved around horses, Oscar’s horse whispering skills made him extremely popular with royalty. Queen Sissi of Austria, who was an ardent rider herself, asked Oscar to improve her riding skills. Rumour has it that she even fell for his charms. She gave him Mahmud, her favourite black stallion.
Oscar’s ambition had a price. In a horrible train crash he lost his beloved wife Amalia. Although Oscar was back in the ring four days later - 'the show must go on' - cinema and variety were attracting new audiences and the circus started to lose its momentum. Facing bankruptcy, and being driven to despair, Oscar is forced to make the most dramatic decision in his life. After the last show he takes his beloved horses into the dunes at Scheveningen where he shoots them one by one…
Filmed during the World Christmas Circus in Theater Carre, CIRCUSHEART pays homage to the most stunning acts that circus has to offer, including the Pyonyang trapeze acrobats and the award winning clown Bello Nock. The heritage of Oscar Carré lives on and his great circus still inspires audiences with animals, danger and passion.
