Not many songs have been covered by so many artists like Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah.” First recorded in 1984 on the underwhelmingly received Various Positions album, “Hallelujah” received little success upon its release but eventually found fame when Jeff Buckley and John Cale covered the song. However, many people know the song from the Dreamworks’ movie, “Shrek,” covered by Rufus Wainwright.
In 2021, directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine created a documentary based on Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” The documentary follows the song’s journey from conception to full-on concerts from start to finish.
Here’s the official synopsis:
HALLELUJAH: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of 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.
“Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” debuted at the Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival in 2021.
The documentary features clips from Cohen’s rise to fame up to his death in 2016. Additionally, there will be archival footage from James Buckley and other performers who have covered the song. Besides Cohen himself, the film’s interviewed subjects include Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard, Sharon Robinson, and Rufus Wainwright.
“‘Hallelujah’ was the song Cohen was most associated with, its strange combination of spirituality and sin, of operatic emotion and shrugging acceptance, making it a standard – the 21st century’s ‘Yesterday,’” Playlist writer Jason Bailey wrote in his 2021 Venice Film Festival review.
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” will be released in theaters on July 1, 2022, via Sony Picture Classic. Watch the first trailer below.
