Night Mayor
Encyclopedia
Night Mayor is a 2009 short film by Guy Maddin
, about a fictional inventor in Winnipeg
who uses the Aurora Borealis to broadcast images of Canada
from coast to coast in 1939, until the Canadian government shuts down his illegal project.
The National Film Board of Canada
(NFB), which was founded in 1939, commissioned Maddin to create a film for its 70th anniversary. In making Night Mayor, Maddin was inspired by his experience researching the NFB's film archives for his 2007 film, My Winnipeg
, stating:
The film's main character uses a fictional device called the "Telemelodium" to broadcast his images, which is based on the Telharmonium
, an early electronic musical instrument
.
Night Mayor was produced by the NFB in Winnipeg and received the Best Experimental Short award at the 2010 South by Southwest
festival. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
.
Guy Maddin
Guy Maddin, OM is a Canadian screenwriter, director, cinematographer and film editor of both features and short films from Winnipeg, Manitoba...
, about a fictional inventor in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
who uses the Aurora Borealis to broadcast images of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from coast to coast in 1939, until the Canadian government shuts down his illegal project.
The National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's twelve-time Academy Award-winning public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions...
(NFB), which was founded in 1939, commissioned Maddin to create a film for its 70th anniversary. In making Night Mayor, Maddin was inspired by his experience researching the NFB's film archives for his 2007 film, My Winnipeg
My Winnipeg
My Winnipeg is a feature film directed by Guy Maddin. Starring Ann Savage, the film is a surrealist-inflected pseudo-documentary about Winnipeg, Maddin's home town...
, stating:
The film's main character uses a fictional device called the "Telemelodium" to broadcast his images, which is based on the Telharmonium
Telharmonium
The Telharmonium was an early electronic musical instrument, developed by Thaddeus Cahill in 1897. The electrical signal from the Telharmonium was transmitted over wires; it was heard on the receiving end by means of 'horn' speakers.Like the later Hammond organ, the Telharmonium used tonewheels to...
, an early electronic musical instrument
Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
.
Night Mayor was produced by the NFB in Winnipeg and received the Best Experimental Short award at the 2010 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
festival. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
.