Ricocheting between comedy, apocalyptic horror, and swooning soap opera, Rumours follows the seven leaders of the world's wealthiest democracies at the annual G7 summit, where they attempt to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis. With unexpected, uproarious performances from a brilliant ensemble cast that includes Cate Blanchett, Alicia Vikander, and Charles Dance, these so-called leaders become spectacles of incompetence, contending with increasingly surreal obstacles in the misty woods as night falls and they realize they are suddenly alone. A genre-hopping satire of political ineptitude, the latest film from incomparable directors Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson is a journey into the absurd heart of power and institutional failure in a slowly burning world.
We genuinely love some Guy Maddin around these parts. That ain't patriotism talking. It's not some rah rah go Canada bunk. So we're chuffed about their latest film Rumours, directed and written along with their protoges Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson.
Cut from the same cloth this trio of Canadian surrealists will screen their latest creation at TIFF in front of the home crowd. It will play in cinemas nationwide starting on October 18th. The official teaser came out today. Check it out below.
We like this final paragraph from Martin's review when Rumours played at Karlovy Vary this year.
Rumours is a cross between Ubu Roi and 28 Days Later on molly. It begins as a political satire but quickly veers into an absurdist narrative, placing a group of politicians in an apocalyptic scenario with masturbating zombie-like creatures adn The Wicker Man vibe. This survivalist predicament of bumbling leaders fosters an atmosphere reminiscent of a buddy comedy. Maddin and the Johnsons eschew the low-hanging fruit of sharp, acerbic political satire, opting instead to embrace a juvenile, absurdist, and surreal approach, with a touch of genre-bending thrown in.
Cate Blanchett stars with Roy Dupuis, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Charles Dance, Takehiro Hira, Denis Ménochet, Rolando Ravello, Zlatko Buric, and Alicia Vikander.