The Circle

‘The Circle’ is a movie about addiction, about drugs, and about how life can be changed in the blink of an eye only by using the wrong substances at the wrong time. The documentary begins with a couple of scenes where young people admit having taken substances, and how it all goes to a painful and horrible addiction. All of these stories start and end in the same way (drug-wise), but there is hope for them. At least this is what ‘The Circle’ is showing us: a path for resurrection, for a clean life and mind.

Philippa Frisby’s documentary is powerful and beautiful at the same time. There is a disclaimer, in the beginning, saying that some of the scenes may be disturbing, but let’s not forget that those are parts of our lives, and they can happen to anyone. We don’t have to be scared by life; we must see and know as much as we can, so if something happens to us or to a person we love, to know exactly what to do, and when to intervene. The things that touched us the most in ‘The Circle’ were the portraits Frisby managed to capture on tape. By only looking at the human faces in this film you can see all the emotions we have on this planet: sadness, pain, happiness, desperation, peace – all of them are on the faces of some former addicts, people that seem to have been on another dimension and now enjoy even more their time on earth.

What is shocking in ‘The Circle’ is the age the young ones started doing drugs or drinking alcohol for the first time. We’d never expect a ten-year-old to be almost addicted and to speak about alcohol like a grown-up would do. Also, to hear the story of a kid that took drugs until he was fourteen is also a hard pill to swallow for many. But as the documentary shows us, there is a way of leaving everything behind through yoga. The documentary features some insights into the yoga programs that are used to set the addicts on the right path. It is fascinating to watch this documentary, and then try out what you’ve learned because it seems amazingly satisfying.

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