Music for a Blue Train (2003)

Directed by

Mila Aung-Thwin

Genre

documentary film

Country

Canada

Runtime

25 min

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary follows busker musicians performing in Montreal's subway system. A harmonica player guides viewers through the daily routines and small moments of these performers struggling for attention from indifferent commuters.

observationalintimateearthygentleunderstatedlow-keyintrospeciveurban

What happens

Music for a Blue Train is a 48-minute 2003 documentary about busker musicians in the Montreal Metro subway train system. It was written and directed by Mila Aung-Thwin of EyeSteelFilm and produced by Germaine Ying Gee Wong for the National Film Board of Canada. A harmonica player known as Bad News Brown (real name Paul Frappier) acts as an impromptu host in the documentary bringing the viewers snippets of the lives of musicians in Montreal's subway system – The Metro – run by Société de transport de Montréal (STM) that gives around 60 spots on a first-come, first-served basis, provided the musician-busker registers his name early enough as soon as the Metro opens to the public and returns during his assigned time to perform for an hour or two, amidst indifference from most passersby or, at times, a token word of encouragement. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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