Marianne and Leonard, and their Words of Love

The many loves of Leonard Cohen, but perhaps there are few loves that mattered more than Marianne Ihlen. Their love has been detailed in the upcoming Nick Broomfield documentary Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love.

The many loves of Leonard Cohen and the songs that came because of them. But perhaps there are few loves that mattered more than that of Marianne Ihlen, the first wife and muse that inspired the song "So Long, Marianne". Their love has been detailed in the upcoming Nick Broomfield (Kurt & Courtney, Tupac & Biggie ... we sense a theme) documentary Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love. When Ihlen passed away in 2016, Cohen penned a heartfelt letter that read; ".. our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine." Cohen died three months later.

Words of Love is a portrait of the life and love of Cohen and Ihlen, who spent much of their life together on the Greek island of Hydra. And while they did not stay together, their bond proved to be an everlasting one. The Broomfield documentary features unseen footage from that time, and as the official blurb states, is about;

"Leonard Cohen, then a struggling and unknown fiction writer, and Marianne Ihlen, a single mother with a young son, became part of a community of expat artists, writers and musicians. Never-before-seen footage shot by Broomfield and legendary documentarian D.A. Pennebaker makes for a unique portrait of an idyllic 1960’s bohemia."

The documentary premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival and will hit theatres July 5th.

Check out the trailer below, and be sure to listen to "So Long, Marianne" once you're done.