The Fever Dream of Canadian Politics: A Cinematic Exploration of Power and Identity

Matthew Rankin’s latest film, Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney, defies easy categorization. Part documentary, part animation, and part video art installation, it reimagines the rise to power of Canada’s 18th prime minister through a kaleidoscopic manipulation of moving images.

Rankin’s approach to storytelling is characteristic of his earlier work, which often blends fact and fiction to create ambiguity. He combines archival footage with abstract language and experimental filmmaking techniques, creating a visual layering that is both captivating and thought-provoking. The result is a film that explores the politics of image-making as much as it does the politician himself.

One striking aspect of Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney is its exploration of the performative nature of politics. Rankin portrays Mulroney as a master of branding and packaging his message for television audiences, using techniques familiar to modern-day politicians. This portrayal raises important questions about the role of image in shaping public perception, and whether the lines between reality and performance have ever been more blurred.

The film’s use of archival material is staggering – over 80,000 pieces were remixed and reimagined to create a portrait of Mulroney that is both intimate and detached. Animation sequences are particularly striking, often incorporating found footage in ways that feel both playful and subversive. In one memorable scene, an animated train steams ahead with the brain of Diefenbaker as cargo – a nod to the surrealist traditions of Winnipeg-born directors like Guy Maddin.

The film suggests that the very idea of a Canadian “center” is increasingly problematic, exploring tensions between Quebec and Alberta, and the fracturing of the Conservative Party into its current right-wing incarnation. This portrayal raises important questions about the durability of power and the instability of identity.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney also serves as a fascinating counterpoint to contemporary U.S.-Canada relations. The scene where Diefenbaker meets Kennedy in archival footage, accompanied by a scroll at the bottom reading “51st State?”, feels like a prescient commentary on today’s border tensions. Rankin’s visual layering and collage techniques show how Canadian politicians have always been acutely aware of their place within the broader North American landscape.

Ultimately, this film is not a hagiography or a critique – but rather an attempt to understand the complexities of power and identity through the lens of one remarkable politician. By exploring the tensions between image and reality, performance and policy, Rankin’s film challenges us to rethink our assumptions about Canadian politics past and present.

As we watch Mulroney emerge from the wings to win power in a landslide, it’s impossible not to see parallels with contemporary conservative movements around the world – including, of course, the ascent of Donald Trump. The whole idea of a stable “center” in politics is increasingly under siege, and Rankin’s film offers a prescient commentary on the consequences of this shift.

With its blend of fact and fiction, image and reality, Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney is a cinematic experience that will stay with viewers long after the credits roll. As we grapple with the complexities of Canadian politics today, it serves as an important reminder that the past is always present – and that our understanding of power and identity is forever tied to the way we choose to represent ourselves to the world.