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Star & Shadow Presents

Leonard Cohen: Bird On A Wire

Dir: Tony Palmer (UK) 1974

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Sun 16 September 2018 // 20:00 / Cinema

Tickets: £6 early birds, £7 full price, £5 concessions

Bird On A Wire is a legendary 1974 documentary that chronicles a troubled 1972 concert tour of Europe & Israel by the late, great Canadian singer, songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen. It was directed by celebrated British filmmaker Tony Palmer and opened in London in 1974 but disappeared for decades shortly after and had until recently, been considered a lost film.

Palmer's portrait starts starts at the end of Cohen's tour in Tel Aviv, and shows him scolding aggressive security guards during a fan riot. Considerable technical problems also plagued the tour, including constant audio difficulties that resulted in a tense confrontation with fans in Berlin.

The film also features backstage scenes of Cohen giving interviews and interacting with fans, including a female fan who "baldly propositions" him. It ends with Cohen's final stop on the tour, at Tel Aviv's Yad Eliahu Sports Palace, in which Cohen has an emotional crisis and takes LSD backstage.

Enjoy a drink and Leonard Cohen inspired playlist in the bar after the screening.