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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

This documentary explores the life of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, "Hallelujah". This documentary explores the life of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, "Hallelujah". This documentary explores the life of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, "Hallelujah".

• Daniel Geller
• Dayna Goldfine
• Leonard Cohen
• Nancy Bacal
• Steve Berkowitz
• 13 User reviews
• 50 Critic reviews
• 70 Metascore
• 3 nominations

• (archive footage)

• (as Rabbi Mordecai Finley)

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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia The scene where Leonard Cohen is in an interview with Richard Belzer is from Belzer's short lived talk show "Hot Properties" which aired on May 1, 1985. That interview is still available on YouTube under the title "hot prop belz -May 1, 1985."
• Goofs Adrienne Clarkson is credentialed as "Frm Governor General of the Arts in Canada". In fact she was "the Governor General of Canada, the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch" She represented the British Monarchy and represented the head of state, who at her time would have been Queen Elizabeth II.

User reviews 13

• Jun 1, 2023
• How long is Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song? Powered by Alexa
• July 15, 2022 (Canada)
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• Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Life, a Song
• New York, USA
• Geller/Goldfine Productions
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• Jul 3, 2022

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• Runtime 1 hour 58 minutes

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song

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Hallelujah doesn't presume to be a comprehensive view of Leonard Cohen's career, but it effectively conveys his artistry through an admiring retrospective on one of his most iconic works.

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Daniel Geller

Dayna Goldfine

Leonard Cohen

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Rufus Wainwright

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HALLELUJAH: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

Now available on digital, blu-ray & dvd.

Directed by: Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine

Selections: Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and more

Inspired by the Book: The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of Hallelujah

Featuring: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard, Sharon Robinson, Rufus Wainwright and many others

Synopsis: HALLELUJAH: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is a definitive exploration of singersongwriter 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.

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The unfocused biographical doc "Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen , A Journey, A Song" considers the life and influence of the Canadian poet and singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen through the prism of "Hallelujah," his most popular song. Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is, as many readers know, both a spiritual and libidinal cri di coeur , so it's sometimes compelling and often frustrating to see co-directors Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine ("Ballets Russes") treat the song as an emblem of Cohen's long career as a musician.

Geller and Goldfine’s docu-collage of interview and concert footage doesn’t give deep consideration to the conditions that led to “Hallelujah” becoming a late career hit for Cohen. This was decades after the song debuted in 1984 on Various Positions , a (rather good) studio album that was rejected by Columbia Records and barely released in the United States. Cohen’s “Halleluljah” is then presented as a trite symbol of his frustrated creative ambitions, though archival interviews with Cohen do effectively suggest that there’s more to his music—and that song, in particular—than the usual artistic triumph over industrial exploitation narrative.

“Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” glosses over some of the best evidence to support what is, at heart, a basic story: after laboring for years on the lyrics for “Hallelujah,” and then later struggling with his own personal and creative demons, Cohen’s song helped to spark a late-career revival and mini-creative renaissance, too. It’s great to see so much old concert footage from various periods of Cohen’s career. And audio excerpts from Cohen’s interviews with former Rolling Stone  reporter Larry “Ratso” Sloman also give viewers some clues as to why Geller and Goldfine only dig so deep into the meaning of “Hallelujah” and its surprising combination of religious and sexual images. But the concert footage doesn’t play long enough to show us what Cohen looked or sounded like when he performed that song, and Sloman’s talking head interviews mostly speak to the movie’s glib understanding of Cohen’s art.

To their credit, Geller and Goldfine encourage viewers to come to their own conclusions, partly as a means of embracing Cohen’s sometimes ambivalent attitude towards explaining his life and music. There are plenty of good and even recent enough profiles and interviews with Cohen, like David Remnick’s impressive 2016 New Yorker profile. And there’s no shortage of concert movies and tribute albums, including the 1974 documentary “ Leonard Cohen: Bird on a Wire ” and the 1991 cover album I’m Your Fan , the latter of which is credited with helping to revive “Hallelujah” thanks to John Cale ’s cover.

Sloman takes credit for suggesting Cale for I’m Your Fan , which is fair, but only so interesting. And while Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard has a right to say that Cale is a master of stripping songs down to their essential parts, Cohen’s music was never exactly ornate, with the notable exception of the corrosive and free-wheeling Phil Spector-produced album Death of a Ladies’ Man . That record gets conveniently dismissed as an example of a known producer imposing his will and sound on an elusive artist. As opposed to Cohen’s collaboration with New Positions producer John Lissauer , who now understandably feels vindicated about that album and “Hallelujah” in particular.

Still, Death of a Ladies’ Man is different, just as Cohen’s later albums, especially Popular Problems  and Old Ideas , are much more than brief footnotes to the “epilogue” of Cohen’s career. There are several such elisions and omissions in “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song,” some more telling than others. You don’t need to know that Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ cover of “Tower of Song,” which directly precedes Cale’s “Hallelujah” on I’m Your Fan , speaks to the many ways that talented artists can try and sometimes fail to add to Cohen’s music. There’s also barely any discussion of the song’s “naughty bits,” as “ Shrek ” co-director Vicky Jenson puts it when she talks about cutting Rufus Wainright’s “Hallelujah” cover from “Shrek” in favor of Cale’s version. But wait, didn’t Cale himself say that he focused on the “cheeky” verses of Cohen’s song? What’s this movie about again, and why are there so many bits of everything scattered throughout?

Geller and Goldfine don’t really go into the specifics of how Cohen’s verses of “Hallelujah” changed over the years (Sloman estimates that there was something like 150 to 180 verses in total). But they do talk with artists like Jeff Buckley, Cale, Eric Church , and Wainwright about their experiences performing “Hallelujah.” All interpretations are valid, according to Church: “none of ‘em are wrong.” Ok, but what’s right about the different versions of the song, and how has it maintained its greatness over time?

A lot of substantial or just different material might have enriched this documentary’s tidy fall-and-rise story. There’s some exciting, but too brief interview footage with former collaborators like Judy Collins , who says of Cohen’s legendary lady-killer rep: “I know dangerous when I saw it.” It’s also great to hear French fashion photographer Dominique Issermann suggest that she didn’t inspire Cohen, but rather was in the right place at the right time when inspiration struck. These are smart and funny observations, but they’re just grace notes in a sprawling 115-minute-long movie that often toggles between the proverbial forest and its constituent trees. 

Now playing in select theaters with a nationwide expansion to follow. 

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song (2022)

Rated PG-13

115 minutes

Leonard Cohen as Himself

Larry Sloman

Adrienne Clarkson

Judy Collins

Clive Davis

John Lissauer

Nancy Bacal

Rabbi Mordecai Finley

Sharon Robinson

Glen Hansard

• Dayna Goldfine
• Daniel Geller

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

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Leonard Cohen

Jeff Buckley

Brandi Carlile

Eric Church

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Leonard Cohen docu has some language, references to sex.

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‘Hallelujah’ Review: From Leonard Cohen to Cale to Buckley to Shrek

A new documentary tells the entwined stories of a songwriter and his best-known composition.

By A.O. Scott

Leonard Cohen’s final album, released in October 2016, is called “You Want It Darker.” He died on Nov. 7, the day before the U.S. presidential election, and in the years since, things have grown very dark indeed.

Cohen wasn’t one to offer comfort. His gift as a songwriter and performer was rather to provide commentary and companionship amid the gloom, offering a wry, openhearted perspective on the puzzles of the human condition. “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” is, accordingly, not a movie designed to make you feel better about anything, except perhaps Cohen himself. But this generous documentary is nonetheless likely to be a source of illumination for both die-hard and casual fans, and even to people who love Cohen’s most famous song without being aware that he wrote it.

That’s “Hallelujah,” of course, which you can hear at weddings and funerals, on singing-competition reality television shows and in too many movies to count. The directors, Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine, wrap a circumspect biography of the singer — loaded with archival footage and interviews with sundry friends and admirers, including a rabbi and a Canadian government official — around the story of the song.

It’s quite a story. “Hallelujah” took something like seven years to finish — Cohen’s own estimates varied. Larry Sloman, a music journalist who knew Cohen well and interviewed him often, surmises that there may be as many as 180 verses, starting with the one everybody knows. By now, we’ve all heard about the secret chord that David played, and it pleased the Lord.

But “Hallelujah” did not please the executives at Columbia Records, who refused to release “Various Positions,” an album recorded in 1983 that also included the future classic “Dance Me to the End of Love.” John Lissauer, who produced the LP and who had worked on and off with Cohen since the early ’70s, recalls the label’s decision with dismay and surprisingly good humor, given the damage done to his professional prospects. (“Various Positions” was eventually released on a small American label.)

At the time, Cohen had been recording for nearly 20 years, though he was also something of a musical late bloomer. He was past 30 when he turned to songwriting, having established himself as a poet and figure on the Canadian literary scene. The filmmakers sketch his early life and career, noting his privileged upbringing in the Westmount section of Montreal, his interest in Jewish and Zen Buddhist religious teachings and his reputation as a Casanova. (His fifth studio album is called “Death of a Ladies’ Man.”)

Personal matters stay mostly in the background. Suzanne Elrod, his partner in the mid-70s, is briefly mentioned — we’re reminded that she was not the inspiration for the song “Suzanne” — and their children are glimpsed but not named. Dominique Issermann, the photographer with whom Cohen lived on the Greek island of Hydra, reminisces fondly about their time together. But “Hallelujah” is interested in Cohen’s private life mainly insofar as it suggests themes for his work.

These could be divided up — spiritual, sexual, existential, emotional — but he specialized in tracing the entanglement of those categories of experience. Sloman, citing an unidentified critic, says that Cohen was most interested in “holiness and horniness.”

“Hallelujah” is his great anthem of religious ecstasy and sexual longing. Some versions emphasize the sacred, while others dwell on what another poet called “the expense of spirit in a waste of shame.” “All I’ve ever learned from love/Is how to shoot at someone who outdrew you”: Some singers omit that line (and the one about being tied to a kitchen chair), but even when transcendence seems to prevail over cynicism, the tension between sacred desire and profane disappointment remains.

The documentary’s account of the song’s fate, indebted to Alan Light’s book “The Holy or the Broken,” is a fascinating study in the mechanics and metaphysics of pop-culture memory. Bob Dylan, who admired Cohen, added “Hallelujah” to some of his set lists in the late ’80s. John Cale’s cover, recorded for a 1991 tribute album, brought the song to wider attention.

“From Cale to Buckley to Shrek” is Sloman’s synopsis. Jeff Buckley’s full-throated rendition injected “Hallelujah” into the ’90s pop mainstream. “Shrek,” the DreamWorks animated blockbuster about a lovelorn green ogre, repurposed Cale’s glum version. The soundtrack album, which sold millions of copies, included another one, more in the melodramatic Buckley mode, by Rufus Wainwright. The floodgates were open.

“It goes like this: the fourth, the fifth.” By the hundredth time, you might think the magic would be gone, but “Hallelujah” is one of those rare songs that survives its banalization with at least some of its sublimity intact.

Cohen lived to see its triumph, and the last third of the documentary is devoted to his comeback, including generous clips from his later concerts. He is, throughout, a vivid, complicated presence — witty, melancholy, well-dressed and soft-spoken. By the end, he radiates wisdom, gratitude, and the kind of fulfillment whose elusiveness had always been his great subject.

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song Rated PG-13: She tied you to a kitchen chair. Running time: 1 hour 55 minutes. In theaters.

A.O. Scott is a co-chief film critic. He joined The Times in 2000 and has written for the Book Review and The New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of “Better Living Through Criticism.” More about A.O. Scott

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song review – a thorough, respectful documentary

Contributions from John Cale, Judy Collins and more illuminate the singer-songwriter’s art through his best-known song

W hile it may be a fool’s errand to frame Leonard Cohen’s life and times through the prism of just one song, directors Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine make a decent fist of it here. Their film shows how Hallelujah – blending gospel music with the charged speech of the synagogue – was worked on for years, then languished unnoticed before it was salvaged by John Cale, Jeff Buckley and the Shrek soundtrack. Today it’s a staple; it’s outlived its creator. And if this thorough, respectful documentary largely leaves its subject’s mystery intact, that’s probably for the best and what the singer would have wanted. Even Cohen, like the king in the song, was baffled by Hallelujah. He didn’t want to explain it and decided he probably couldn’t if he tried. He said: “If I knew where songs came from, I would go there more often.”

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Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

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Currently you are able to watch "Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song" streaming on Netflix. It is also possible to buy "Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song" on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Vudu, AMC on Demand, Google Play Movies, YouTube as download or rent it on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu online.

Where does Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song rank today? The JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts are calculated by user activity within the last 24 hours. This includes clicking on a streaming offer, adding a title to a watchlist, and marking a title as 'seen'. This includes data from ~1.3 million movie & TV show fans per day.

Streaming charts last updated: 5:14:31 PM, 04/24/2024

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song is 2478 on the JustWatch Daily Streaming Charts today. The movie has moved up the charts by 835 places since yesterday. In the United States, it is currently more popular than Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story but less popular than Guernica.

This feature-length documentary explores the life of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, Hallelujah.

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Hallelujah: leonard cohen, a journey, a song film review: the journey of a classic.

A comprehensive look at the story of the song and what it represented for its writer Leonard Cohen and all those who sang it after him

BY Linda Marric

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song Cert: 12 A | ★★★★✩ Never has a song had as many reincarnations as Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. First released by the late acclaimed Jewish Canadian singer-songwriter in the obscure album Various Positions the song took on a life of itself when it was rehashed and recorded by the Velvet Underground’s John Cale, who gave Cohen’s mournful tune and sombre lyrics a boost with his slightly more accessible version. The song found an even greater audience when performed by Jeff Buckley whom many mistakenly believe to be the original writer of the song. Now sung at weddings, funerals and everything else in between, Hallelujah has also become a go to for any aspiring music TV competition contestant.

Jeff Buckley

In a new documentary entitled Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, directors Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine present a comprehensive look at the story of the song and what it represented for Cohen and all those who sang it after him. With a vast array of talking heads featuring Cohen’s friends and collaborator, including the singer’s own rabbi and confidant, Rabbi Mordecai Finley, the film reveals the spiritual meaning behind Cohen’s writing and what the song really meant to him as a Jew. There is an argument that Cohen’s intended spiritual Judaic context has often been lost as the song took on a wider spiritual meaning and was adopted by Christian culture. Despite the song’s many interpretations, one constant has always been a mixture of spirituality and sexual awakening. While there isn’t much here that fans won’t know, the film still makes for a riveting watch. As for those who are less familiar with the song or its original writer, this might prove to be a genuine eye-opener.

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Home » News » Movie News

Filipino Netflix Movie ‘A Journey’ Will be a Tearjerker

A Journey is set to be a bittersweet tale, filled with emotion and drama. If you are one of those film fans who likes nothing better than to have a good heartfelt cry, then this Filipino tearjerker should be at the top of your watchlist when it debuts on Netflix on April 12 — especially if you’re familiar with the show that all three stars worked on previously before bringing their special connection to this feature.

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Bring the tissues, a journey trailer analysis, when will a journey be released on netflix.

• What is the connection between A Journey's cast?

The synopsis for  A Journey explains why the story may have an emotional resonance for many viewers, with added feels for those in the know. The official Netflix blurb explains: “Refusing treatment for her cancer, a woman goes on a road trip across Tasmania to check off items on her bucket list with her husband and best friend.”

The premise alone already has alarm bells ringing, and we can’t help but worry that the final act of the film may be absolutely heartbreaking. There may not be a dry eye in the house as the film examines some of the saddening realities behind the story.

We start with a quote as the trailer explains in a sentence what may be the driving thesis of the film: “It’s all about the destination.” This may be the key to seeing the film through to the end.

We see our three leads discussing “journey or destination”, and concluding it is really about who you are with. As the three hug in the great outdoors, reinforcing their close connection, an on-screen caption implies a main theme of the film, explaining that what we are about to watch is “a journey of looking back” . This reference may be more meta than we first assume.

With further scenes of the cast on the road and stopping at various beauty spots, enjoying themselves as a song plays over the visuals, we are reminded by another on-screen caption that the film will explore themes of friendship, love, and loss, implying that the happiness of the three companions may not have a happy ending.

Brace yourself.

A Journey  will be available to stream globally and exclusively on Netflix from April 12, 2024.

Many tears will be shed, I know it. Paolo Contis, Patrick Garcia, and Kaye Abad take us on a journey…in A Journey, arriving April 12 only on Netflix ? #AJourney #PaoloContis #PatrickGarcia #KayeAbad #Netflix pic.twitter.com/BCGsjbJ7sr — Netflix Philippines (@Netflix_PH) March 28, 2024

What is the connection between A Journey’s cast?

A Journey is set to be a three-handed affair with Paolo Contis , Patrick Garcia , and Kaye Abad taking center stage. However, some fans will be thrilled by the fact that the three stars have worked together before, and the film is almost a reunion for the artists — which somehow makes the situation even more heartfelt.

Kaye, Patrick, and Paolo were the stars of the weekend teen-oriented show called Tabing ilog that aired on ABS-CBN from 1999 to 2003. To further engage the fans of the show, there are scenes in the film that harken back to that show, including a scene that mirrors a favorite location for the characters from the TV series. Just to make sure that the connection between the series and the film is cemented, the song playing over the trailer is the theme song of the TV series that the three actors appeared in.

Knowing that the film may end in heartbreak may just be too much for old fans of the show, and if you are one of them, make sure you are prepared.

Article by Louie Fecou

Louie Fecou joined the Ready Steady Cut writing team back in August 2018 as an Entertainment Writer and, since then, has published over 1,000 articles for the site. Louie has proven experience in various publications, print and online. To kickstart his journalism career, in 2013, he was a columnist and writer for The Irvine Herald Newspaper.

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'Unsung Hero' sheds light on the Smallbone family's incredible journey to musical stardom

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Unsung Hero', an upcoming American Christian drama film directed by Richard Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, is based on a remarkable true story.

Starring Joel as David Smallbone, Daisy Betts as Helen Smallbone, Kirrilee Berger as Rebecca St. James, Jonathan Jackson as Eddie DeGarmo, and Candace Cameron Bure as Kay Albright, the film delves into the story of the Smallbone family, focusing on siblings St James, Joel, and Luke, as they navigate their path to becoming Christian recording artists.

The official synopsis of the film reads, "David Smallbone, his pregnant wife, and their seven children leave Australia to rebuild their lives in America. David and Helen realize the musical talent of their children, who become two of the most successful acts in Inspirational Music history."

The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on Friday, April 26, 2024, by Lionsgate. 

Let's discuss the real-life story of 'Unsung Hero'.

The film delves into David Smallbone's remarkable journey from Australia to the United States

'Unsung Hero' chronicles the pivotal journey of David Smallbone, who made the life-changing decision to relocate his family from Australia to Nashville, Tennessee, United States, in 1991.

After his music company collapsed, David, a music promoter, decided to seek a fresh start in the United States, as reported by The Tennessean.

Despite the challenges that lay ahead, David's resilience and determination to overcome adversity served as a beacon of hope for his family.

With just their children, a few suitcases, and a deep love for music, David and his pregnant wife, Helen Smallbone, embarked on a journey to rebuild their lives.

According to The Tennessean, the journey from Australia to Nashville was neither easy nor inexpensive for the Smallbone family. They had to use the majority of their family's savings to cover the cost of airfare.

As the imminent birth of their seventh child approached, David remained unemployed. Despite the uncertainty of their circumstances, Helen gave birth to their seventh child, marking a poignant moment in their journey.

After the Smallbone family settled in Nashville, David actively searched for employment. He also took his oldest daughter, St James, who was 14 years old at the time, up and down Nashville's Music Row, aiming to secure her a record deal.

Two years after their move to Nashville, St James' dedication and talent paid off when she was signed to ForeFront Records.

Who is Rebecca St. James?

Rebecca St James, the daughter of David and Helen, is an Australian-American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter, and actress.

St James achieved fame in the late 1990s with her RIAA-certified Gold albums 'God' and 'Pray.' The album 'Pray' notably won a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Rock Gospel Album, solidifying her status as a talented and respected artist in the music industry.

During this time, St James' music not only garnered commercial success but also connected with listeners on a deeper level. 

According to a report by Solo Parent Organization, Helen, St  James' mother, played a crucial role in her daughter's career, offering unwavering support and encouragement throughout her journey to fame.

St James is also best known for films like 'Left Behind: The Movie,' 'The First Easter,' 'Unidentified,' 'Sarah's Choice,' 'Rising Stars,' and 'Faith of Our Fathers.'

How family values fueled For King & Country's rise to fame

Joel and Luke joined forces to establish the band 'For King & Country' in 2007. Their shared passion for music and deep-rooted family values the foundation for their musical journey.

In 2008, Joel and Luke released their first EP, 'A Tale of Two Towns' in the comfort of their parents' home, which served as a creative sanctuary for the brothers. 

Over the years, despite their rising success, the brothers faced various hardships. In 2011, the duo, now known as For King & Country, returned to the studio to record what would become their first three singles: 'Busted Heart,' 'Proof of Your Love,' and 'Middle of Your Heart.'

In 2013, Joel also embarked on his acting career, taking on the role of King Xerxes in 'The Book of Esther' and portraying Jake Reeson in 'Like a Country Song.'

One of his most notable roles came in 2016 when he was cast in the leading role of James Stevens in the film 'Priceless.'

Joel has embarked on an intriguing new chapter in his acting career, as he is set to portray his father, David, in the upcoming film 'Unsung Heroes.'

'Unsung Hero' trailer

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Movie Review: “Unsung Hero” – A Story of Family, Faith, and Music

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Kingdom Faith Marketing Services, LLC for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

In the powerful new film, “Unsung Hero,” which hits theaters on April 26th, audiences are treated to the inspiring true story of the Smallbone family. David Smallbone, portrayed by Joel Smallbone of the band FOR KING + COUNTRY, along with his wife Helen (played by Daisy Betts), embark on a journey of faith and resilience. When David’s successful music company in Australia collapses, the family is left with no choice but to relocate to the United States in search of a new beginning.

Watch the Trailer Below:

The Core of “Unsung Hero”: Family and Faith

At the heart of “Unsung Hero” is a profound narrative about family ties and the steadfast faith of a mother who holds her family together through unimaginable challenges. This film not only captures the essence of the struggle but also highlights the invaluable role a mother plays within the family. As we follow their journey from Australia to America, we see a family that refuses to give up, fueled by their love for each other and their music.

FOR KING + COUNTRY Fans Rejoice!

If you’re a fan of FOR KING + COUNTRY, this film is a must-see. “Unsung Hero” offers a deeper understanding of the personal lives and struggles that have shaped the band’s music and message. Seeing Joel Smallbone portray his own father adds a layer of authenticity and emotion that fans will undoubtedly appreciate.

A Cinematic Experience Not to Be Missed

I had the chance to watch “Unsung Hero” ahead of its release, and I can genuinely say it was a profoundly moving experience. The film beautifully blends elements of hope, adversity, and triumph, making it an unforgettable experience. It’s a story that resonates on multiple levels, especially for immigrants and anyone who has faced the trials of starting anew in unfamiliar surroundings. The depiction of the family coming together and leaning on their faith to overcome each hurdle is both heartwarming and motivating.

Special Feature: Interview with Luke Smallbone

Included in our review is an exclusive interview with Luke Smallbone, who shares personal insights into the making of “Unsung Hero” and the real-life experiences that inspired the film. This behind-the-scenes look at the Smallbone family’s story adds a rich layer of depth to our understanding of the film.

Your Invitation to Witness a True Story of Resilience

“ Unsung Hero ” is not just a film for those who enjoy stories of faith and music. It’s a cinematic journey that showcases the power of perseverance and faith in the face of adversity. It teaches us that through faith and family, any obstacle can be overcome.

Visit the website at https://unsunghero.movie/

Giveaway – Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

To celebrate the release of “Unsung Hero,” we’re giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and ends on May 2nd. Don’t miss your chance to win – enter below using the Gleam platform.

Conclusion: A Must-See Film for Everyone

Whether you’re a fan of FOR KING + COUNTRY, love powerful true stories, or are looking for a film that celebrates the strength of family and faith, “Unsung Hero” is the perfect choice. Make sure to buy your tickets today and experience this inspiring story in theaters from April 26th.

Don’t miss “Unsung Hero” – a story of faith, hope, and the unbreakable spirit of a family that chose to believe in each other and their dreams.

#UnsungHeroMIN #UnsungHeroMovie #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #UnsungHeroMovie #KingdomStoryCompany #Candyrock

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How Chris Dane Owens Finally Turned His Campy ‘Shine on Me’ Music Video Into a Feature Film — 15 Years and Millions of Dollars Later

By Alex Ritman

Alex Ritman

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Back in 2008, a music video landed on YouTube — then still largely in its infancy and mostly dominated by amateur video footage — and caused a bit of a stir, amassing a cult following and 1 million views. More than 15 years on, the video has morphed — extremely slowly — into a full-length feature film.

Popular on Variety

If anyone ever asked the question, “What if INXS was really into ‘Game of Thrones’?” this video surely had the answer. 

For Owens — also an Emmy-nominated TV producer and son of the late radio, TV and voiceover performer Gary Owens — beyond just living out his own love of the worlds created by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Philip Pullman (“The Golden Compass” film had just come out around the time), the idea was to create something that audiences saw as a movie trailer. 

The number of those puzzling their way through the “Shine on Me” video, or just repeat watching in dumbfounded awe, quickly grew. The first ignition came when it was mentioned on the now-shuttered video-game focused G4 network, but just a month later, in December 2008, The New Yorker described it the best video of the year, followed by articles in The L.A. Times and Wall Street Journal. 

“And then it really started to take off, and companies such as VH1 and MuchMusic in Canada got in touch asking to get the HD version to put on rotation,” Owens says. 

But it wasn’t just gaming or music channels that were interested. “30 Rock” was on TV at the time, and Owens says that an assistant to the producers got in touch asking for signed autographs, CDs and photographs for the staffers and execs, including Tina Fey. “I was like, ‘Oh, you guys like it?’ And they said, ‘We love it. We watch it all the time when we get stuck creatively, because there’s something about the way it’s structured it kind of encourages creative response.’”

It was around then that talk arose about actually turning this pseudo trailer into an actual film, an idea first sparked over lunch with an agent at CAA. “He said, ‘Hey, this is really cool, but have you ever thought about making a movie?’” Owens says. 

As much as Owens loved the idea, the budget was way off what he could hope to gather. That was, until a few years later, when an executive producer by the name of Kiki Korol came into play and helped secure the first bit of funding. And so, what would eventually become “Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic” started taking shape, with Owens, alongside his writing and directing partner Jason Schulz, taking the characters and ideas he had introduced in the “Shine on Me” video and transforming them into a fully-fleshed out feature.

“There’s obviously no dialogue in the music video, so the big challenge was how to take it and populate it with story and character arc and humor and dialogue,” he says. “We had a lot of fun, because we had to make a choice of what we wanted to do tonally. In our budget range, we couldn’t create something that’s heavy and oppressive and too dramatic, so I think it would be better if it had a twinkle, like a ‘Princess Bride’ or a ‘Harry Potter,’ where there’s a lot of goofy, quirky humor along the way. And once we had our tone in mind then we were off to the races.” 

With Koral’s initial funding, the team went out to film what they could before finances dried up, then used that footage to secure the next chunk of money. Owens won’t reveal the total budget beyond it being “in the millions” of dollars. 

Eventually, after 100 days of shoots spread across several years, “Empire Queen” was complete. And now, 17 years after “Shine on Me” amazed viewers on YouTube, the feature length spinoff has landed on the internet, first on Amazon Prime and soon across various other platforms such as iTunes and Google Play.

The online world is obviously a very different and far less innocent place to how it was the mid ’00s, with thousands of hours of new content — much of it made with the explicit intention of going viral — uploaded each day. But Owens is hopeful that, like the original video, the feature film will find its following.

“I always felt that [the video] was more of a cult project with a loyal global audience that really dug it and got what we’re doing,” he says. “So with the feature, I’m hoping that the same kind of cultish phenomenon happens, where people really dig it and want to see it on the big screen, and watch it multiple times with friends and just have a good time.”

See the trailer for “Empire Queen: The Golden Age of Magic” below.

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How ‘dìdi’ director sean wang’s bay area roots helped him make his feature debut.

From festival grants to a job at Google to his own grandma, the Fremont native’s personal journey contributed to his semiautobiographical coming-of-age movie, which is the opening night feature at SFFILM.

By Rebecca Sun

Rebecca Sun

Senior Editor, Diversity & Inclusion

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Like many coming-of-age directorial feature debuts, Dìdi (弟弟) is semiautobiographical, but Sean Wang ’s personal background played as much of a role in literally making the movie as it did in inspiring its narrative.

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And finally, Wang not only depicts a fictionalized version of his family unit in the movie, with Joan Chen playing protagonist Chris (Izaac Wang)’s mom, but he also cast one of his real-life grandmas, memorably featured in his Oscar-nominated documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó , as — who else? — Chris’ grandmother.

What role has SFFILM played in your journey?

SFFILM to me has always been the flagship festival in the Bay Area but also at large. They have such a global presence, and it means so much to me personally before they ever supported me as a filmmaker. I grew up in Fremont, Calif. I didn’t know any other filmmakers. My way in was not from what you would call independent film. It was from skate videos first, and then short films on the Internet. It wasn’t until later that I found out about SFFILM and films like Fruitvale Station and Medicine for Melancholy and realizing there was this collective of Bay Area filmmakers and films that have been supported by SFFILM that really shaped me.

And then the beautiful thing about Rainin was every month they pair you with a different industry mentor, so every single month I would share the script with someone who had objective eyes. They would engage with it incredibly critically and thoughtfully, I’d get amazing notes, I would go off and write, and then I’d send it to someone new the next month, and every single month I felt like I was pushing the ball forward, until the end of the Rainin grant cycle, I was like, I’m ready to make this movie. So SFFILM really made it feel real.

When you were setting out to tell your own semiautobiographical coming-of-age story, what were the aspects of that experience you really wanted to bring to life?

When I look back at my childhood and the things that me and my friends reminisce about, it is mostly during that time period. We describe it as the time when you’re the worst version of yourself, having the best time of your life. All of our crazy, insane, funny stories come from the middle school time. It wasn’t until my early 20s that I had enough distance and realized a lot of things that had shaped me in ways that I didn’t even realize, like in the movie when people say, “You’re the coolest Asian I know” or “You’re cute for an Asian.” When I was 13 I was like, that’s a compliment, and in my 20s I was like, that’s backhanded. But you don’t have that vocabulary when you’re 13. You only do when you’re looking back.

I noticed Aneesh Chaganty is thanked in the credits, and there are elements of the way you use the second screen in Dìdi that reminded me of Searching . Did you meet when you both worked at Google?

Your cast includes everyone from Joan Chen to your own wài pó (maternal grandmother), playing Chris’ n ǎi nai (paternal grandmother). Tell me about getting both of them involved.

The short of it is I’m the luckiest director ever. Joan’s not just a screen legend, but she’s a Bay Area legend — she lives in San Francisco. We were like, if Joan would do this, that would be amazing because she’s awesome… and also her travel fees would be so affordable for us. We sent her the script and she read it and we met for coffee in San Francisco. She told me, “I would love to do the movie, but I want you to want me to do the movie.” I was like, what? You’re giving me the luxury of choice? Like, no director gets that. She’s said, “I’ll screentest for you, I just want you to make sure that you want me to do the movie.” We left the coffee and I texted her a minute later and was like, yep, let’s do the movie together.

Joan gave the movie such a special gift. A lot of seasoned actors or actresses could be like, “What is this movie, with all these non-experienced actors and this first-time director who casted his grandma? I worked with Ang Lee!” On paper that sounds like a recipe for disaster, but she saw what we were trying to do. She really made the set a space for someone like Grandma, who’s never acted before, to try things and feel safe and see what happens. She would stay on set and do origami with my grandma and hang out with her daughter and everyone else on set. I look back on that whole experience and can’t believe we got someone like Joan to give us so much. It was so special.

What has been your grandmother’s reaction to all of this?

Interview edited for length and clarity.

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Why Superman singer took a risky journey to Kyiv to film with Ukrainian National Orchestra

Ventura County-based John Ondrasik from Five for Fighting wrote a song about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Protest songs have a long history in the US - dating back to the Revolutionary War's Yankee Doodle, to the music of Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan. Where are the protest song writers of today, was a question Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik asked himself, as he watched images of the war in Ukraine.

22 years ago, Five for Fighting’s hit song Superman was nominated for a Grammy Award and the song was adopted at the time to honor the victims and first responders in the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers. Perhaps surprising, as singer John Ondrasik went by a name that sounded more heavy metal than heartfelt.

" It was the late 90s, and the record company came to me and said, 'You know, John, nobody can pronounce your last name. The male singer songwriter's dead. You need to come up with a band name.' And I'm a big hockey fan and that day I was at an L.A. Kings game, and especially back in the day, there were fights in hockey, and if you're in a fight in hockey, you go to the penalty box and you get five minutes for fighting and they call it five for fighting," he explained to KCLU in an exclusive interview.

"So when they asked me for a band name, I sarcastically spit out 'five for fighting', expecting them to hate it. And they're like, 'We love it!' I'm like, 'You guys are nuts,' because it sounds like I should be opening for Metallica, but here we are...Five for Fighting," said Ondrasik.

Two years ago, struck by images on the news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ondrasik sat down at his piano in his Westlake Village home and the music flowed. Can one man, President Zelensky, save the world, he wondered. That question became a song , and that became a perilous journey to play it in person with the Ukrainian National Orchestra.

" It's [the song] certainly recognized the fortitude of all Ukrainians. But this was right after we [the U.S.] offered him [Zelensky] a plane ticket and he said, 'no, send me some Stinger missiles' - knowing that he probably be dead with his wife and three little girls within days. And I'm like, where have we seen that around the world in the last 20, 30 years?"

"So off we go to Kyiv," he tells. "It took us two days to get there. We speed to the border. Nobody speaks English. You walk a mile across the border. Everybody's coming the other way. We're going INTO Ukraine," he recalls.

"We get to Kyiv and they allowed us to film in a sacred ground at the Antonov airport - blown up airport. In that hangar is the symbol of Ukrainian independence, which is an airplane. It's called the Mriya. It's the largest cargo plane in the world and early in the war, Putin went to the Antonov airport and blew it up. So it's in shambles. But we literally were able to put the orchestra in front of this plane, in this blown up hangar and perform the song and it was incredibly emotional," said Ondrasik.

He made the journey in the early days of the war, and says he experienced some air raids and a severe lack of sleep.

"We had air raids and you run into the basement...and we probably slept two hours in the five days we were there," he said.

" One of the memories I'll never forget is the orchestra played with vigour and emotion, and we finished the song and there was like this moment of silence that felt like, you know, two weeks is probably 10 second, but it was a lot of weight," he said.

"In those few seconds, you felt why we were there. You felt the weight of the Ukrainian people. You felt their fortitude. And then it hit me that virtually nobody there understands the lyrics. They don't know the words. So it was all about music, this sharing of music that brought this emotion and that situation. And it really kind of reminded me of the unique power of music to bring people together. And it was an incredibly powerful moment," said Ondrasik.

Five For Fighting With A String Quartet are playing live at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills on Thursday, April 25.