Kumu Documentary: Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song
Location: Kumu auditorium
Dir Daniel Geller, Dayna Goldfine
USA 2022, 115 min
In English, with English subtitles
Introduction by Merit Maarits.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of the singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah. This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: the songwriter and his times, the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit, and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom Hallelujah has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust, including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.