Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

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MarieM
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Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by MarieM »

http://antipodefilms.com/projects/little%20axel.html
Image

Little Axel

60 min

documentary in development

winner of 1st price at the Nordic Docs 2017 pitch
with support from Viken Filmsenter and NRK


Axel Joachim Jensen was born in January 1960 in Oslo, Norway, being conceived nine months earlier aboard a sailing boat on the Aagean sea. His father, the infamous Norwegian writer Axel Jensen, left his mother Marianne for another woman during the spring of 1960. Briefly after, a new father figure enters into Little Axel´s life.

This man is Leonard Cohen.

Little Axel grows up with Leonard and Marianne - on the island of Hydra in Greece, in Oslo, in Montreal, in New York. Still after Leonard leaves his mother Marianne they still have contact, and Axel goes often to see, and to live with Leonard. At the age of 20, Axel enters a long life in psychiatric institutions in Norway. He carries deep and fond memories of his stepfather, the man who would enchant a whole world with poetry, wisdom and song. This is Axel´s own story, as we meet him today. "Little Axel" is a unique tale of artistry, family and love, told through exclusive archive material and Axel´s own words.
Thanks to ChristineR from FB for heads up on this.
Marie
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oldfriend28
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by oldfriend28 »

Oh thank you. :)
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mutti
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by mutti »

Thanks for sharing this Marie. I always wondered what happened to Axel. Great photo!
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DaniE
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by DaniE »

Does anybody know what happened to this documentary in the making?
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Maarten
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by Maarten »

Hi all

During the Leonard Cohen Event in Ghent last summer, we had the pleasure of screening this documentary for our participants. Now the makers of "Little Axel" have let me know the documentary is also available online through Video On Demand. More info can be found here:
https://www.littleaxel.com/

It was well received during the Event in Ghent and stirred up a bit of talk about it afterwards because it's not all beauty and sunshine that's being shown. But that made it even more interesting, so I'm really happy we were able to screen it and so were all of our participants who saw the documentary in Ghent.

Feel free to check it out by following the link above!

All the best
Maarten

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Geoffrey
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by Geoffrey »

Maarten wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:57 am Feel free to check it out by following the link above!
the link falsely claims that axel was leonard's stepson. the truth is that he was simply the son of leonard's married girlfriend.
stepson.jpg
swisschris
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Re: Documentary: Little Axel (Leonard significantly featured)

Post by swisschris »

Thank you, Maarten, for informing us that the film is available on Vimeo. The film was one part of the program I was especially looking forward to in Ghent and I was sad that I missed it.
I watched the film now and it sort of reflects the atmosphere of Polly Samsons novel „A theatre for dreamers“:
Bohemian adults centred on themselves, neglecting their children. The postcards and letters Axel wrote to Marianne are especially moving: This deep longing for affection - while having been sent away to boarding schools in the UK and Switzerland.
A heartbreaking film.

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