The war in Ukraine, a backdrop to the Bayeux International Circus Festival

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After 3 years of absence following the health crisis, Bayeux International Circus Festival (Calvados) opened on Monday March 14 for its 9th edition, with its first performances on Wednesday March 16, at the start of the afternoon. A festival that juggles shows, workshops, temporary exhibitions, all against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

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In their dressing room, Aleksandr Shpyr and Yelyzaveta Vasylyka, Alex and Liza, prepare for their very first performance at the festival. This duo of Ukrainian acrobats who practice hand to hand (acrobatic figures in the air) arrived in France from Germany a few days ago. “I am very happy to be here, but it is true that the situation is difficult“, confides Liza. “We are grateful to have work, because most of our friends are stuck in Ukraine and cannot leave… At the moment our families are safe and that is the main thing.”

This festival allows us to stop thinking about the war and to make the spectators dream.

The first performances at the Bayeux International Circus Festival took place on Wednesday 16 March. © Radio France
– Marie Martirosyan

Everyday, Alex has his eyes glued to his phone, to follow what is happening in Ukraine. “We watch the news all the time and it’s sometimes hard to pick upexplains the young man of 26 years, so this festival, for us, is a real breath of fresh air, it allows us not to think too much about the war, to concentrate on our art and to make the public dream, being on stage.”

Two Ukrainian artists stranded in kyiv

A situation thatArnaud Tanquerel, President of the Bayeux Circus Festival Association, had never lived. “We never could have imagined that artists could not come because of a war.“Indeed, two tightrope walkers, Valery Ganzyuk and Anatoly Ignatov, remained in Kyiv.”Seeing the situation get tense, I had offered to change their plane tickets so that they could come earlier, but they refused, because they were afraid of not being able to return home after the festival.“, is moved Arnaud Tanquerel.

Arnaud Tanquerel is the president of the Bayeux International Circus Festival Association.
Arnaud Tanquerel is the president of the Bayeux International Circus Festival Association. © Radio France
– Marie Martirosyan

In a video posted on the festival’s social networks, Valery wished thank the public for their support : “We hope to be able to come to Bayeux next year and that the war will end quickly“. He and his circus partner cannot leave Ukraine and know that they will probably soon be mobilized to fight against Russia.

A troop of Russian female artists was also unable to attend the festival due to the closure of flights between Russia and France.


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