Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

In 1984, when Leonard Cohen released his seventh studio album Various Positions, the song ‘Hallelujah’ received scant attention. Bob Dylan, who soon started playing the song live, did recognise its value. The first time the song received any real attention was in the pared-down version of the track by John Cale on the tribute album I’m Your Fan. However, another three years would pass until ‘Hallelujah’ became a universally recognised pop song thanks to Jeff Buckley’s cover.

In Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song, the directorial duo Geller & Goldfine reveal the track’s history and use the song to examine Cohen’s life in a different light. The since deceased vocalist provided them with a stack of unreleased archival material including never-before-seen material from the Cohen Trust, including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, as well as footage from performances and exceedingly rare audio recordings and interviews.