PRLog (Press Release) –
Mar 14, 2008 – Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television has described Maddin as "the Canadian David Lynch" for his surreal, visceral films. His unique vision has gained both critical admiration and an impressive cult following, and the films being offered on Mad for Maddin are excellent examples of his work:
Brand Upon the Brain!, scheduled for 9PM on March 19th, is the Canadian Television Premiere of a film that premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. The semi-autobiographical silent film, written and directed by Guy Maddin, focuses on a young man and his teenaged sister and a horde of orphans. They all live under the watchful eye of a tyrannical mother and secretive father in a lighthouse that also doubles as an orphanage.
The next night, March 20th, Bravo! will broadcast two Maddin productions. The first, at 8PM Eastern, is Teardrops in the Snow. An on-set visual diary documenting the making of The Saddest Music in the World, which follows at 9PM Eastern. The Saddest Music is set in Winnipeg, Manitoba during The Great Depression. It's a unique musical comedy that spotlights a beer magnate's competition to find the saddest piece of music in the world. Maddin directs Isabella Rossellini, Mark McKinney, Maria de Medeiros, David Fox, and Ross McMillan.
The Mad for Maddin festival concludes on Saturday, March 22nd at 9:30PM, Eastern when Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary will have its Bravo! Television Premiere. In this feature Maddin combines avant-garde cinema and spectacular choreography in a dramatic interpretation of Bram Stoker's original story. Based on Mark Godden's celebrated Royal Winnipeg Ballet production, this tale is shot in black and white with splashes of colour, and set to the music of Gustav Mahler. Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary won the 2002 International Emmy for Best Performing Arts Program.
