Jupiter’s Wife (HU DVD 4016) is a documentary about Maggie Cogan, a homeless woman living in Central Park with her pack of dogs who attracted the curiosity of filmmaker Michel Negroponte. From googling around, it’s unclear if this film really deals with the seriousness of homeless and mental illness. Maggie is described as beguiling and witty, but some reviewers question whether this film was enabling and exploitative. After the film was released, she briefly had her own apartment, but it sounds as though she eventually returned to Central Park.
Jupiter’s Wife won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance among other awards. Here’s our summary:
This is the story of Maggie, a beguiling homeless woman living in New York City’s Central Park. In her forties, Maggie’s vibrant personality and unconventional persona attract attention since she has 6 dogs and carries a huge backpack full of her personal belongings. A captivating jumble of cryptic stories, Maggie’s conversations are laced with intriguing claims – including the claim that she is the daughter of actor Robert Ryan and that she is married to the Roman god Jupiter.
No trailer this time, so here’s the DVD cover:
Happy viewing!