Skip to main content

The RAI FILM Festival will take place in Bristol (UK) from 11 to 15 June 2025, and online (available worldwide) from 16 June – 16 July, including the online film conference from 1 to 4 July.

Search our film database
2021

The Daring Young Girl on the Flying Trapeze

Directed by Nina Ross

2020 – 27'

Synopsis

As a child, Nancy Willis dreamt of joining the circus, longing for freedom and adventure. Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and told she would not live beyond her twenties, the now 65-year-old artist invites us into her world. Combining hard-hitting memories of societal discrimination with the depth and beauty of everyday moments, she opens up about vulnerability, self-exploration, family and maternity.

The narrative meanders seamlessly between the grounded and the dream-like. A rich tapestry of artwork, observation and archive illustrates the challenges of physical deterioration and the infinite possibilities of imagination. The film provides an alternative frame of perception through which to explore the experience of disability.