Guy Maddin’s ‘Rumours’ a weird, wacky, laugh-out-loud Canadian satire

There’s something so unique about the dry, wry Canadian sense of humour — and Guy Maddin‘s latest movie, Rumours, captures it perfectly.

Set during a fictional G7 summit, Rumours sees political leaders from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Japan and France bumble along as they attempt to draft a statement on an unspecified global crisis. When a catastrophic force from thousands of years ago rises to threaten humanity, it also forces the seven wealthy politicians into the woods to fend for themselves.

Co-directed by Maddin, Galen Johnson and Evan Johnson (who also wrote the screenplay), Rumours takes its audience on an absurd, witty and melodramatic journey.

Like all of Maddin’s earlier works, the film finds a precise balance between campy comedy and dramatic commentary.

Oscar winner Cate Blanchett leads the movie’s ensemble cast with an exceptional performance as the fictional chancellor of Germany, Hilda Orlmann. Naturally, British actor Charles Dance is the toughened American president, complete with an English accent.

To his credit, Canadian actor Roy Dupuis is a true scene-stealer in Rumours, portraying a passionate, dramatic — and occasionally weepy — prime minister. Alongside Blanchett and the rest of the ensemble cast, Dupuis has viewers hanging off his every word, right up until the film’s fiery conclusion.

Global News’ Sarah Do Couto sat down with the directors and Dupuis at the Toronto International Film Festival to talk about real camp comedy, haunting dreams and what it means to be bad at one’s job.