My Winnipeg

Guy Maddin is a man who is not concerned with making a film with a linear story or even a story. My Winnipeg isn't really even a narrative film. It's mostly a dream. Maddin attempts to show us his town: Winnipeg, through his own eyes, what it means to him. Through beautiful, soothing, and eloquent poetry, we are taken through the history of the film. I have never seen a stranger scene than this: It's the dead of winter and something comes into the stables of Winnipeg one morning. Perhaps it was a mouse or some other rodent, but it spooked the horses. They all ran away and into the Winnipeg river, where they were frozen to death. For months afterwards, the people of Winnipeg would have picnics around the frozen heads of the horses. There isn't really much more to say about My Winnipeg. There's a lot of scenes like the previous one I described. We don't know what's real and we don't really care. We are completely given over to the hands of Guy Maddin, and the journey he takes us on is dreamy and intriguing.
My Winnipeg: ★★★★