Phare Ponleu Selpak Cambodian Circus have announced the return of the Tini Tinou Circus Festival later this year after they had to cancel it when it was last scheduled to take place in 2020.

The festival is a celebration of contemporary circuses and circus arts from around the world that was founded in 2003 and has been staged at irregular intervals over the years depending on the amount of funding required and the availability of other circuses to participate.

“We are thrilled that Phare – with the support of the governor of Battambang province Sok Lou – can host Tini Tinou International Circus Festival once again after cancelling the 2020 edition due to the pandemic,” said Phare Ponleu Selpak Director Osman Khawaja.

“I believe the festival will be held mostly outdoors though some events may happen in our big top or in other circus arenas,” Khawaja told The Post.

Tini Tinou means “here and there” in Khmer and it is an international celebration of the circus, its culture and its history that will bring together artists from Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan and France for the 2022 edition.

There have been 10 Tini Tinou festivals organised by Phare Ponleu Selpak – at first with the French Institute – but starting in 2008 it has solely been a Phare production, with the last festival taking place in 2016 prior to 2020’s cancelled revival.

Khawaja said the festival initially only took place in Battambang and was later extended to Phnom Penh and then to Siem Reap for the festivals that took place in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The 2016 Tini Tinou International Circus Festival was held with circus troupes from France, Australia, Canada, Nepal, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Cambodia, who all worked together to bring their collective and individual performances out into the streets and onto stages indoors. … Read the Full Length Article at Phnom Penh Post.