Photographs by Jeff Harris

Hi, this is Daniel Garber at the Movies for culturalmining.com and CIUT 89.5 FM.

Somewhere in Germany, the G7 is holding a summit at a chateau beside an archaeological peat bog site. The leaders of the top western economies — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US — are working hard to write a caring communique pledging future improvements in our world. Until something strange happens — all of the support staff suddenly disappear, and this elite cabal of Presidents and Prime Ministers are left to fend for themselves. And there are strange creatures dancing in the woods. Can these hapless leaders band together in time to stop the dangers threaten this planet? Or will they be reduced to suspicious conspiracies and petty rumours?

Rumours is also the name of a bizarre and funny new feature that premiered at TIFF. It combines geo-politics with ancient mythologies and otherworldly forces. Throw in some sexual intrigue and the threat of global apocalypse and you have something very different from anything you’ve ever seen. Rumours is the work of award-winning Winnipeg (review)  filmmaker Guy Maddin (Interview: Seances, 2013) and his collaborators Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson.  Guy Maddin is known for his uniquely baffling film images that range from unsettling Canadiana to creepy fantasies (Interview: Louis Negin, Keyhole, 2012) infused with perverse sexual neuroses… and more than a few laughs. Guy has worked with Evan and Galen Johnson for a decade now (Interview: The Forbidden Room,  2015).

I spoke with Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson in person, at TIFF24.

Rumours had it’s North American premiere at TIFF and is now playing in Toronto.