MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE

USA – 2019 – Color - 102’

Dir.: Nick Broomfield | Cin.: Barney Broomfield | Ed.: Marc Hoeferlin | Mus.: Nick Laird-Clowes | Narration: Nick Broomfield | Prod.: Nick Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin, Shani Hinton, Kyle Gibbon

Hydra, 1960s. Leonard Cohen meets on the island—a “haven” of freedom for bohemian artists—the Norwegian Marianne, alone with her son. She becomes his muse for the coming years, inspiring masterpieces like So Long, Marianne, Bird on the Wire, and others. 

Tenderly directed with a personal touch (as Broomfield himself had been on the island back then and, was for a while, involved with Marianne), the documentary delves into the couple’s moments of happiness, as well as Marianne’s loneliness, disappointment, and ultimately their separation. At the same time, it beautifully captures the era. Archival footage and testimonies tell the story until the end—marked by a note the Canadian legend sent to his star in 2016, when he learned she was dying of leukemia at 81: “I’m just a little behind you, close enough to take your hand.” Months later, he followed.