Two-Buldi-Two 1929

In 1919, amid the Russian Civil War, a small town teeters on the edge of capture by White Guard forces. The Bolsheviks call on the population to defend their home, and an unlikely militia forms from the town’s own circus troupe. Buldi Jr., Vladimir Kochetov as Buldi-son, leads this improvised defense, with his father, the aging clown Buldi-father, Sergei Komarov guiding him and sharing a dream that has started as a pastime on stage and now takes on a political purpose. The troupe’s acrobatic precision and streetwise courage become a weapon, as the town’s fate hinges on timing, trust, and the spectacle of resilience.

Behind the lines, leadership is anchored by the town’s revolution committee, headed by the Chairman, Mikhail Zharov. The committee’s Secretary, Vera Maretskaya, helps coordinate the defense and the political will that keeps the townspeople fighting.

Despite their courage and the unique skills of the circus squad, the White forces prove brutally effective. The town falls into days of terror, and Buldi Jr. is arrested and faced with execution. In a moment that fuses fear with longing, the old clown pleads with the White Colonel to spare his son, clinging to the dream of their life-long joint act, the dream they call Two-Buldi-Two. The act would symbolize their bond between art and revolt, a beacon amid the chaos.

On the day of the supposed performance, Buldi Sr. steps into the ring alone, unaware that the execution order has already been given. Then Buldi Jr. bursts into the circus, chased by soldiers. The son’s agility and strength—honed in the ring—allow him to dodge capture and escape through the circus dome, while Buldi Sr. cheers him on with renewed pride.

The day’s events push the father to a new understanding. Through the peril and perseverance of their shared ordeal, Buldi Sr. comes to grasp the meaning and goals of the revolutionary struggle, finding a place for the circus within the Red Army’s broader cause. The film closes on a note of reconciliation, with art and politics intertwined in a way that reshapes both men’s lives.