Ancient bog body meets modern politics in new dark comedy film

In a recent visit to Irelands National Museum‚ I saw the well-preserved Old Croghan Man - a two-thousand-year old bog-preserved body thats both fascinating and spine-chilling. His skin pores and well-kept nails remain visible despite his violent end: he was killed through multiple methods (including strangulation and dismemberment)

The unique conditions of northern European peat bogs create natural mummies: their cold‚ acidic low-oxygen environment turns bodies into leather-like remains. Eamonn P. Kelly‚ former museum keeper explains an interesting detail: the corpses mutilated nipples suggest he was a failed king‚ since nipple-sucking showed loyalty in ancient Ireland

A new dark-comedy film “Rumours“ uses this historical context for modern-day critique. The movie shows G-7 leaders at a German summit who meet some re-animated bog bodies. Cate Blanchett leads the cast as German chancellor‚ joined by other stars playing world-leaders: Charles Dance as sleepy US president; Nikki Amuka-Bird as UK prime-minister; Roy Dupuis as wine-loving Canadian PM

The leaders try to write a basic crisis statement but cant focus on the task - instead they use empty-sounding words like “bilateral“ and “supply-chain management“. Their discussions show how far they are from real problem-solving:

• The French leader over-thinks everything
• Italian PM makes basic mistakes
• Japanese minister seems lost
• American president keeps falling asleep
• German chancellor tries to control everything
• British PM stays polite but ineffective
• Canadian leader drinks too much wine

The films satire gets stronger when ancient bog bodies start chasing these modern politicians through dark woods. Its a weird mix of horror and comedy that points out how todays leaders might be just as unfit to rule as those sacrificed kings from long ago