The NFB is committed to respecting your privacy

We use cookies to ensure that our site works efficiently, as well as for advertising purposes.

If you do not wish to have your information used in this way, you can modify your browser settings before continuing your visit.

Learn more
Skip to content Accessibility
New release
Coming 
None

The Wings of Johnny May

2013 1 h 23 min
Leaving soon

This feature documentary shines a spotlight on Johnny May, the first Inuit bush pilot in Nunavik—and a legend among his people. During the 34,000 hours of flight time he’s logged, May has lived through extraordinary adventures and has had a unique view of the transformation of the Arctic from his perch in the sky. He has watched as the Inuit went from nomadic life to a sedentary existence, and as climate change has melted the permafrost. But one thing remains constant: May’s deep love for his wife Louisa. Since his earliest days in the air, his plane has sported the …

We're sorry, this content is not available in your location.
Your rental expires on
None
You've already purchased this film.
Download it from My purchases.
Not available
Share
The Wings of Johnny May

Extras

Details

This feature documentary shines a spotlight on Johnny May, the first Inuit bush pilot in Nunavik—and a legend among his people. During the 34,000 hours of flight time he’s logged, May has lived through extraordinary adventures and has had a unique view of the transformation of the Arctic from his perch in the sky. He has watched as the Inuit went from nomadic life to a sedentary existence, and as climate change has melted the permafrost. But one thing remains constant: May’s deep love for his wife Louisa. Since his earliest days in the air, his plane has sported the same Inuktitut message for her: "Pengo Pally", which means “I miss you.” The Wings of Johnny May is an airborne documentary that highlights a unique culture through the eyes of an exceptional man.

  • screenwriter
    Marc Fafard
  • director
    Marc Fafard
  • narrator
    James Hyndman
  • additional voiceover
    Marie Gignac
    Jack Robitaille
  • research
    Marc Fafard
    Marie-Eve Lalancette
  • photo research
    Étienne Hansez
  • archival film research
    Étienne Hansez
  • director of photography
    Paul-Anthony Mille
    Dominique Delapierre
  • camera assistant
    Julien Malichier
    Sébastien Alcazar
    Brigitte Pesquet
  • data wrangler
    Francis Hanneman
    Lawrence Lafetière
  • sound recordist
    Pierre Bouchard
    Simon Goulet
    Steven Ejbick
    Normand Lapierre
  • editor
    Alain Baril
  • featuring
    Johnny May
    Louisa Berthe-May
    Jean Désy
    Whit Fraser
    Mary Simon
    Sara May-Tagoona
    William Tagoona
  • translation
    Maaki Putulik
  • aerial key grip
    Claude Fortin
  • helicopter pilot
    Peter Duncan
  • 3D online post-production
    FlyingS3D
  • 3D coordinator
    Audrey Bourdiol
  • stereoscopic editing
    FlyingS3D
  • 3D harmonization
    Pierre Sudre
  • digital colourist
    Pierre Sudre
  • green screen keying
    FlyingS3D
  • 3D rushes management
    Link's productions
  • trailer
    Jérémy Leroux
  • subtitling
    Camille Monin
    Pierre Sudre
  • 2D-3D conversion
    Alain Baril
    Nicola Lamoureux
    François Mercier
  • audio post-production
    Studio Expression
  • sound editor
    Simon De Grandpré
    Marc Carrier
  • sound designer
    Jérôme Boiteau
  • mixer
    Jérôme Boiteau
  • sound edit coordinator
    Josée Harpin
    Isabelle Dupéré
  • music composer
    Camille Delafon
  • orchestration
    Camille Delafon
  • conductor
    Camille Delafon
  • solo violin
    Sébastien Surel
  • solo cello
    Cyrille Lacrouts
  • piano
    Camille Delafon
  • guitar
    Jean Gillet
  • music recording studio
    Studio Ferber
  • music mixing
    Studio Bastille
  • sound engineer
    Alban Sautour
  • music contractor
    Christophe Briquet
  • music contractor assistant
    Cathialine Zorzi
  • score coordinator
    Xavier Forcioli
  • music preparation
    Norbert Vergonjanne
  • production manager
    Geneviève Leclerc
  • post-production manager
    Geneviève Leclerc
  • production assistant
    Étienne Hansez
  • post-production coordinator
    Stéphanie Lamontagne
  • funding coordinator
    Geneviève Leclerc
    Geneviève Dionne
  • editing technician
    Denis Lavoie
  • administrator
    Roxane-Caroline Doiron
    Alexandrine Torres de Figueiredo
    Sia Koukoulas
  • accountant
    Roxane-Caroline Doiron
  • administrative assistant
    Marie-Eve Lalancette
    Vanessa Emam
  • marketing manager
    François Jacques
  • marketing manager - assistance
    Geneviève Bérard
  • technical coordinator
    Daniel Claveau
  • storyboard artist
    Francis Desharnais
  • director of animation
    Nicola Lemay
  • art director
    Didier Loubat
  • designer
    Didier Loubat
  • modeling
    Zane Kozak
  • rigging
    Zane Kozak
  • stereoscopy
    Zane Kozak
  • technical director
    Zane Kozak
  • 3D animator
    Martin Ferland
    Jonathan Ng
  • textures
    Stephan Ballard
  • lighting
    Timothy Dormady
  • animation
    Dale Hayward
  • computer graphics
    Stephan Ballard
    Timothy Dormady
    Dale Hayward
  • special effects consultant
    Éric Gervais-Després
  • digital imaging specialist
    Pierre Plouffe
  • animation producer
    Marc Bertrand
  • legal advisor
    Stéphanie L'Écuyer
  • collection management
    Mary Graziano
  • distribution rights management
    Mary Graziano
  • production supervisor
    Jean Michel Quilici
  • production team
    Fiora Lumbroso
    Elsa Moley
    Grégory Germakian
    Sandrine Roux
    Anna Medziewski
    Jérémy Leroux
    Victor Lima
    Julie Hedna
    Joséphine Fontaine
    Pauline Boyer
    Sacha Subramaniam
  • post-production team
    Adeline Letort
    Audrey Pontoizeau
    Cyrille Solovieff
    Justine Quesnoit
  • legal affairs
    Bérengère Edeline
  • legal affairs - assistant
    Emilie Renard
    Colin Vettier
  • administrator accountant
    Sandrine Melki
  • administrator accountant - assistant
    Dominique Azar
    Maximilien Billeret
  • legal counsel
    Marie-José Harel
  • producer
    Yves Fortin
    Jacques Turgeon
    Monique Simard
    David Kodsi
    Jan Vasak
The Wings of Johnny May
Purchase options
Licence information
Already paid to see this film?
Licencing information

Home licence (worldwide); Classroom licence (Canada only)

You may download this film for private, personal or classroom use only. Public screenings and institutional (non-educational institutions) uses are not permitted. Download films in standard or high definition. (Please note that bonus materials are not available for DTO films.) You can copy each file up to 5 (five) times, onto various devices. DTO films cannot be hosted on a streaming server. To add DTO films to an institutional or educational streaming server, please contact a sales agent to discuss pricing.

Institutional licence

The institutional price includes the rights to screen this film in institutional settings and in free public screenings.