Plot

The rise and fall of the famous clown Chocolat, the first black circus performer who revolutionised the stagnant circus acts and conquered Paris of the Belle Époque with his exuberance and originality.

The life story of Rafael Padilla, a former slave in Cuba, who unexpectedly became a star clown in the Paris of the Belle Epoque. Discovered in a small country circus in the North of France by George Footit, a British clown and acrobat, he formed a successful duo with him, 'Footit and Chocolat'. For two decades, and despite conflicts between the two artists, Footit as the authoritarian white clown and Chocolat as the Auguste Black drudge filled crowds with enthusiasm. But nothing lasts forever and the glory of Chocolat, despite his high ambitions, started to decline until his premature death in 1917.—Guy Bellinger

Near the end of the 19th century, in a wandering circus somewhere in Northern France, Rafael Padilla, an illegal Cuban immigrant working as a performer, accepts a partnership with the famous, yet declining white clown and acrobat George Footit to be his sidekick and renew his old numbers. Before long, the ambitious duo Footit and Chocolat will conquer Paris of the Belle Époque, taking by surprise the well-bred and demanding Parisian audience with their exuberance and originality which revolutionised the stagnant circus acts. Unfortunately though, with great success and fame come great problems, and Chocolat who was always under the shroud of prejudice and racial discrimination will sadly lose everything for the sake of ambition and artistic exploration.—Nick Riganas