Dwarf in China
This documentary tells the story a Dutch street performer who travels throughout rural China telling an unusual story that touches the hearts of young and old. He uses very few props and the main protagonist is a dwarf, but one of the most important items used in the show is a magical music box, which is really a barrel organ.
Jeanmarie’s son, Tim, lives in China where he works for a flower bulb company. Although he’s a busy man, when his father decided to take his show to China, he traveled with him for a whole week.
One of Tim’s friends who had been Jeanmarie’s assistant back in the Netherlands also moved to China and soon after his arrival, started trying to convince Jeanmarie to present ‘The Dwarf’ there.
Jeanmarie’s barrel organ was custom made with Chinese folk songs that are well known and loved by everyone. He spared no expenses to make sure the show was culturally correct while also extremely entertaining and inspirational.
There’s absolute delight on the faces of the crowd as they hear the music and see Jeanmarie come out dressed like a dwarf. Using very few words, he tells a compelling story that earns the crowd’s spontaneous applause.
Many of the children in rural communities are cut off from the outside world. So when Frank and Jeanmarie visit to present their show, a crowd eagerly shows up long before the program begins. The show is a purely sensory experience in which the audience sees something and hears something and then begins to feel something.
Jeanmarie always laments not having been a better father to his son when he was growing up. However, Tim couldn’t disagree more. When he sees all that his dad is doing in China and in other parts of the world, he couldn’t be more proud of him.
Jeanmarie’s fairytales are a reminder that we are guided by our inner world and that we should enjoy it with respect and gratitude. His message is “life is amazing, but you must keep opening your heart to it”. Watch this beautiful film now.
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