Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen

Directors Donald Brittain, Don Owen
Year 1965
Run Time 44min
Genre Documentary
Before he became an internationally beloved singer/songwriter, Leonard Cohen was living a reclusive life as a poet, occasionally touring for his book releases. This critically acclaimed portrait captures his life at age 30 while on a visit to his hometown of Montreal, where he reads his poetry to an enthusiastic crowd, strolls the streets, and relaxes in his three-dollar-a-night hotel room.

A true treasure from the early days of the NFB, this is a celebration of a Canadian legend that offers a unique perspective on his art, his personal life, and his vision for the world.

Directors

Donald Brittain

An Officer of the Order of Canada, Brittain was one of Canada’s most respected and prolific documentarians. A few of his notable films include Fields of Sacrifice, Ladies and Gentlemen... Mr. Leonard Cohen, Memorandum, and the Genie-winning Paperland: The Bureaucrat Observed. He wrote the Oscar-nominated short documentary Whistling Smith and co-directed Volcano: An Inquiry Into the Life and Death of Malcolm Lowry, which garnered six Canadian Film Awards and an Oscar nomination.

Don Owen

Owen was a pioneer of English Canadian filmmaking who joined the NFB in 1960, where he worked as a cinematographer on the short film À Saint-Henri le cinq septembre and directed the short Runner. His first feature, Nobody Waved Goodbye, won a BAFTA and is considered a classic of Canadian cinema. His directing credits include Notes for a Film About Donna & Gail, The Ernie Game (which won the Canadian Film Awards for best feature and direction), Partners, and Unfinished Business. Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen won the Canadian Film Award for Best TV Information.

Writer

Donald Brittain

Producer

John Kemeny

Genre

Documentary

Interests

Arts and Culture, Biography, Classics

Original Languages

English, French

Canadian Distributor

National Film Board (NFB)