What If John Lennon Was Alive In Canada? ‘Let Him Be’ Searches On 40th Anniversary Of Montreal Bed-In
Posted May 28, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
At the very least, it’s a wonderful fantasy for Beatles lovers.
John Lennon. Still alive. Living under an assumed name in small town Ontario.
That’s the story at the heart of Let Him Be , a fauxcumentary about a young filmmaking couple that discovers a tiny scrap of footage they suspect could be proof the legend is still around and makling music.
What follows is a sad, comical and often frustrating search, which leaves much unanswered but forever alters all involved.
The brainchild of writer/director Peter McNamee, Let Him Be screened at the Vancouver International Film Fest last year and is part of this year’s NXNE festival lineup. The North American Theatrical Premiere is set for the Yonge-Dundas AMC Friday night.
But on Tuesday, ahead of a sneak peak inside that same theatre the film’s centerpiece – a character named Noel Snow who bears a more than passing resemblance to Lennon – attended Queen West’s prestigious Stephen Bulger Gallery where photos from Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 Montreal Bed-In For Peace are on display in connection with the event’s 40th anniversary.
The works of late photographer Gerry Deiter are also included in Joan Athey’s book Give Peace A Chance , which launched simultaneously and also features recollections from those who attended the eight-day event inside the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
If you like the Beatles, Lennon, photography, film, music, look-a-likes or the overarching idea of peace, it was an excellent place to be.
And in case you missed it, here’s a bit of what it looked like.
Director Peter McNamee
Curator Joan Athey
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