In Process Record

Send in the Clowns follows performers from the organization Clowns Without Borders. Their mission is to travel to areas of crisis and relieve stress and suffering through laughter. The clowns are volunteers, armed with a unique set of skills and an earnest desire to change the world. But is their work any different from all of the other agenda-driven aid organizations? In 2009 the clowns go to Haiti, a country known as the poorest in the Western Hemisphere with the highest number of NGOs per capita in the world. They have a grueling schedule of three or more shows a day in schools, orphanages and slums. While there is a positive response to their work, the clowns are conflicted by the overwhelming needs of the Haitian people and their effectiveness in a place saturated, yet sustained by international intervention.. On January 12th, 2010 Haiti is hit by a devastating earthquake. An outpouring of aid floods the country in an attempt to address the immediate demands of food and housing. But in the wake of such extreme devastation, what is the point of sending clowns? The clowns decide to shift their focus and return to Haiti in September 2010 to teach workshops to young adults in the hope of having a more lasting impact. The workshop participants embrace the clown activities but share the challenges of their daily lives.. One year later, we find a country still struggling with basic necessities and it's unclear where all the pledged funds have gone. The Haitian workshop participants reflect on their lives in the past year and have a strong reaction to the aid they have received. So how do the clowns measure up amidst all of the other efforts? Send in the Clowns begins as a film about artists with good intentions but slowly reveals Haiti's crippling and conflicted relationship with an arguably more absurd global aid industry

Title from title frames

Film

Originally produced by Documentary Educational Resources in 2014

Mode of access: World Wide Web

In English