Winnipeg Film Group Cinematheque Screenings

August 28th - 30th, September 2nd-3rd.

Thursday, August 17th & Friday, August 18th

A mad rush to get to the airport. Why is it no matter how long in advance you start packing, it is always a last-minute dash to the finish line? Feed the cat and after being gripped by a last-minute nightmare panic that I've locked the car keys in the house, set out for the airport.

Hamilton has a small, old airport. Like many buildings in Hamilton, the retro vibe fills you with nostalgia. On the plane, I am sitting beside a man who flies around the country analyzing how businesses function and finding ways to improve them. He says the number one obstacle is politics. I privately wonder how he'd do on a film set. I read David Denby's new reviews of Inglorious Basterds and Julia and Julia. Decide to see Julia first.

Back in Winnipeg - hometown and hunting ground of one of my favourite filmmakers - Guy Maddin. A rare visionary, he proves what Chaplin, Bunuel and Lynch have already told us, that art can be both profound and hysterically funny. Dave Barber, the head of the Winnipeg Film Group Cinematheque, picks me up from the airport - what a nice guy. We drop off my bags at the artist suite they've arranged for me at the MAWA. What a phenomenally beautiful place. Designed by artists, it's a loft filled with original art - and only $60 a night.

Straight on to the University of Manitoba for the late night film talk radio show "Ultrasonic Film." We arrive and meet James Borsa, the interviewer. He has discovered my alter ego as an actor and wants to talk about my experiences on Saw IV and P2 a bit - I figure this is college radio, so it's probably not a terrible idea. On air, after insightful and interesting reviews of Inglorious Basterds (which made me want to see it again) and the Time Traveller's Wife, they begin interviewing me about ONLY. They actually love the film and make great comments about it. Radio I find to be personally terrifying. I like to speak slowly and take my time. Whenever I pause, I can feel the other people in the room tensing up - dead air is a big faux pas. I resist the considerable temptation to swear violently on air. Back to the hotel. Pass out.

Up at 6:30 am for the City TV Breakfast Television interview at 7:30. I am feeling the jetlag. I love Breakfast Television. It's the last refuge of live television - a circus atmosphere that makes you want to eat lots of bacon and coffee. While waiting, I meet Richard Sigurdson, Dean of Arts at U. of Man. - yet another Pegger who rubs shoulders with Maddin, who as it turns out, teaches at the University. Should be watching these Man. film graduates for the next batch of geniuses. Richard hands me his card and vaguely invites me to come and speak. We'll see if that happens. The interviewer Jenna really likes the film and the interview just zips along - it's short and sweet and hungry and fun. I go have breakfast at the Pancake House. I read the review by Liz Braun in the Sun, which was pulled from the National office, and I still don't get it. She clearly likes the film and recommends it, calls it charming - but for some alien reason only rates it 2 1/2 stars. There is something small and grey and alumninum-tasting in my waffles and I briefly imagine dying in Winnipeg. I should get some sleep.

Back to the suite for a much-needed nap. I wake, do some blogging and screenwriting and businessy crap and head out to the theater to meet Dave for dinner. We have curry at a local pub and talk about the new Ang Lee Woodstock film and other films about music. I lament the passing of Radiohead's tour and album days and remember my teen years following the Grateful Dead down the west coast. Didn't we all try and find the sixties sometime in our lives? Dave talks about Guy's involvement in the Cinematheque and it slowly dawns on me that everyone here knows Maddin except for me. Will I meet him? I read the Uptown article on ONLY. Nice, but the guy misquoted me all over the place. Myxomitosis. Dave says that there was a mention that morning on CBC radio. CBC is always good.

Back to the theater. The room fills up halfway, 17 strong. Dave says that's a good house for him - things are not what they used to be. Still, not a bad start - I've certainly experienced worse than 17. I intro the film. Funny how people always perk up the moment they hear that ONLY has been received so well in other countries. I guess this is only natural, but why is it so hard for us to recognize our own? Maddin's practically revered as a genius outside of Canada, but in Winnipeg, he's just another wacky artist.

A few audience members saw the Sun article - another couple saw the Uptown write up, but most everyone else heard about the film ONLINE through various sources. Wow! Internet is so much more important than it used to be. What an interesting development. I encourage everyone to tell their friends. They look like they will.