TRAILER
In the early 1900s, the circus was the world’s greatest entertainment and its performers were global celebrities. Among them was Con Colleano, the legendary “Wizard on the Wire”, whose family rose from humble beginnings in the Australian bush to become an international circus sensation.
Through remarkable home movies, rare archive footage and family testimonies, The Colleano Heart reveals how the family overcame discrimination and restrictive Australian laws, concealing their Indigenous heritage while reaching the highest levels of circus fame. Con Colleano dazzled fans as the renowned ‘wizard on the wire’, mingling with icons including Charlie Chaplin, at the most exclusive social sets of America and Europe, beguiling even the likes of Hitler and Mussolini.
As filmmaker Pauline Clague uncovers her personal connection to the story, alongside descendants and family historians, long-hidden secrets emerge. The film reveals the Colleanos as survivors of Australia’s Hidden Generation of Aboriginal people and celebrates the resilience of an extraordinary Aboriginal family whose legacy is finally being reclaimed. Supported by leading Indigenous and circus historians, The Colleano Heart offers a powerful portrait of family, identity and survival.
Director: Pauline Clague
Producers: Kate Pappas, Bettina Dalton and Alan Erson
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