A quadruple somersault was considered impossible until 17 year old Miguel Vazquez achieved this 'impossible' quadruple during a 1982 Ringling Bros. performance. Vazquez's 'Quad' was a premiere attraction at Ringling Bros., and the largest circuses in Europe until in 1994, when, at the apex of his career, Vazquez unexpectedly quit flying. Filmed over a 7 year period, the feature length documentary “The Last Great Circus Flyer" addresses the triumphs, dangers, fears and oftentimes tragedies of trapeze performers through interviews with the great flyers of the past and performances by young flyers of the present from Ringling Bros., Cirque du Soleil and Circus Vargas. Location filming included backstage at Cirque du Soleil's "O" in Las Vegas and "Le Reve" at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Ringling Bros. performances in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, "Circus Vargas" performances and interviews in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the Circus Historical Society convention in Bloomington-Normal, IL, the "Circus Collection" at the Milner Library at Illinois State University, trapeze schools in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the Venice Arena in FL and the
John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (Museum of Circus).
MONARCH FILM FESTIVAL is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization. Tax Identification Number: 46-0576842
Contributions are tax deductible as permitted by law.
