The the all-new original drama series So Long, Marianne premieres on Fri. Sept. 27 in both English and French on Crave TV. Debuting days after what would have been the Montreal-born singer-songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen’s 90th birthday, the eight-part series delves into the legendary love story between Cohen, and Norwegian Marianne Ihlen that inspired countless Cohen songs. It is co-produced by Montreal’s C3 Media (part of the Cineflix Media group of companies).

Set in the 1960s in Greece, Norway, and Canada, So Long, Marianne is an intimate tale of two lonely people falling in love, during a period of their life when they are trying to figure out who they are, and their place in the world, while one is becoming one of the most famous singers of all time.

The series stars Alex Wolff (A Quiet Place: Day One, Hereditary ) as Leonard and breakout star Thea Sofie Loch Næss (Delete Me, A Storm for Christmas) as Marianne. Joining them are Peter Stormare (Fargo, The Big Lebowski), Anna Torv (The Newsreader, Mindhunter) and Noah Taylor (Games of Thrones). As well the cast includes Canadian stars Macha Grenon (as Leonard’s mother), Éric Bruneau, Kim Lévesque Lizotte, Robin L’Houmeau, with Canadian singer Patrick Watson contributing music to the series.

I got advance copies of the first two episodes and I must say this a side of Leonard Cohen I never saw before. Last week I got to interview Wolff, who will be in town for a special premiere. “When I was 12 years old, my brother gave me a volume of Leonard Cohen’s poetry,” said Wolff, who is from New York. “So when I was offered this role I was already well versed about Leonard. What a great privilege it was to portray him. I had to learn to talk the way he did and after a while you get just get addicted to everything that is Leonard Cohen.”

Shot mainly in Greece, Montreal was used for filming as well. Look out for landmarks such as McGill University, distinctive restaurants Toqué! and Greenspot, and the Des Seigneurs Bridge. “I loved the Montreal scene and eating great bagels,” Wolff said.

“The series is an expansive, sweeping international co-production that travels the world, and Crave is thrilled to bring the series, and Cohen’s celebrated story, to life for audiences in English and French, ” said Carlyn Klebuc, General Manager, Original Programming at Bell Media.

TRAITORS CANADA: Suspicion and treachery are on the schedule as CTV’s original unscripted competition series The Traitors Canada returns for its second season, Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app, beginning Sept. 23. Hosted by award-winning actress Karine Vanasse of Montreal, 22 clever Canadians, consisting of both fresh and familiar faces, compete in a thrilling and cunning game of cat and mouse with the goal of securing a cash prize of up to $100,000. Season 2  welcomes 22 new players to its historic manor on the breathtaking outskirts of Montréal to take part in a series of explosive and exhilarating missions with a common goal – build up the prize pot in hopes of making it far enough in the game to claim it in the end. But in midst of the Faithful hides the threat of sabotage by Traitors who have their own agenda – eliminate anyone that may stand in the way of them taking the prize for themselves. With an unknown number of Traitors lurking amongst them, the Faithful must work together to unmask and banish the Traitors from the game before they themselves are killed off, as the Traitors will assemble in darkness each night to murder a new Faithful, secretly sending them home, betrayed and penniless. Former Montrealer Cedric Newman, who appeared on the Amazing Race Canada two years ago, is one of the contestants. Tranna, a comedian and writer from Montreal , is also on board . Following a mission that kicks things off with a bang, the Traitors will meet at the conclave and must agree on their first murder of the season. For viewers eager to take a closer look as the players make their moves throughout the season, a special extended version of each episode will be available to stream on Crave every Tuesday beginning Sept. 24.

ROB LUTES IS BACK: West Islander Rob Lutes launched a brand new album on Sept. 13 called Shine from his Sussex project. You can listen here at Soundcloud (one ad will play before access to entire album). Sussex is a Canadian Folk Music Awards Group of the Year nominee based in Montreal. It features Lutes on acoustic guitar and vocals and his old friend, a world-class vibraphonist Michael Emenau (M-N-O) on vibes and piano. For Shine, Sussex’s third outing after Parade Day (2016) and The Ocean Wide (2019), they have invited two friends – and two of Canada’s finest roots players – Joe Grass (Patrick Watson, Barr Brothers), and Morgan Moore (Ranee Lee, Martha Wainwright) on pedal steel and upright bass to create a cool and fairly unusual roots texture and sound that I have always wanted to create since hearing vibes on Bobby Hebb’s Sunny and some classic country. “We recorded together in a room at the wonderful Alchemist Studio in Montreal over four days,” Said Lutes.”The album is genre-inclusivem with hints of Americana, folk, jazz, country, blues and TIn Pan Alley pop. The album contains seven carefully crafted original songs and three gems from the early 20th century. It will be launched on Fri. Oct. 11 at Espace Knox on Godfrey in NDG as part of Troubadour NDG concert series. Mack MacKenzie will also perform.

Info here: https://sussexmackmackenzie.bpt.me

Log on to http://www.sussexvibrafolk.com/shine—new-album1.html or www.roblutes.com

Streaming links  are here 

THE LEGACY FUND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT: Co-organized by the Legacy Fund for the Environment and the Green Coalition, the Legacy Fund for the Environment Annual Fundraiser raises money to fund citizen groups fighting to protect local nature and the environment. Headliner stand-up comic and television personality Joey Elias will emcee this important fundraiser on Sept. 21 at the Unitarian Church in Westmount.

“Get ready to laugh! It’s going to be a hilarious evening for a crucial cause,” said Jason Prince, president of the Legacy Fund for the Environment and one of the event organizers.  Elias, master of ceremonies and auctioneer for the evening, is a seasoned stand-up comic with 16 Just for Laughs festivals under his belt including televised gala performances. His show points out life’s absurdities covering a wide range of topics.

“The Fund’s motto is, ‘Citizens, defending nature,’” said Prince. “The comma is important. It’s about citizens taking action.” In Quebec, people quickly find they need access to lawyers as they mobilize to protect threatened, beautiful biodiversity or to preserve areas they have been using for decades; irreplaceable wild spaces and their species. “

According to Campbell Stuart, ex-mayor of Montreal West and co-founder of the Legacy Fund for the Environment, “We have impressive laws in Quebec that claim to protect nature and endangered species, but they don’t work on their own. Citizens must ensure that the intention of the law is respected,” he said.

Money raised provides that access and makes real gains to protect various lands. The invaluable Grand Parc de l’Ouest (3000 hectares) would not have existed were it not for grassroots action that included backing from the Legacy Fund. A noteworthy selection of cases supported by the Legacy Fund is available on their website.

Diverse items on auction include: a two-night stay at a romantic retreat in the Eastern Townships; theatre tickets from the Theatre du Nouveau Monde; a large donation of tickets from the TOHU; a signed jersey from Montreal Canadiens Saku Koivu; and many other generous donations from local producers. Back by popular demand are guided nature tours of some of Montreal’s beautiful woodlands and wetlands with well-known and well-informed environmentalists including David Fletcher of the Green Coalition, and a sock monkey hand crafted by Imogen Prince.

Click here for more 

THINK TURKEY: This fall, Think Turkey is proud to introduce the Join Thanksgiving fund, a new initiative to bring the joy of Canadian Thanksgiving to more post-secondary students.  Thanksgiving weekend is typically a happy break where students return home for a turkey dinner with family and friends. For those far away from home, it can be a lonely long weekend. The Join Thanksgiving Fund was created to foster a greater sense of community on campuses across Canada and welcome more people to the Thanksgiving tradition.  From Sept. 12 to 23, post-secondary student groups and faculty are invited to visit ThinkTurkey.ca/JoinThanksgiving to apply to receive one of eight $2,500 grants towards their on-campus celebrations. 

“Thanksgiving is one of my favourite holidays because it’s just a big turkey dinner, where everyone is welcome to pull up a chair,” said Darren Ference, Chair, Turkey Farmers of Canada. “Through the Join Thanksgiving fund, we hope Thanksgiving can become a moment to bring more students together and spark new friendships over a delicious meal.”       

“As a recent graduate, this initiative is close to my heart,” said Liam Lewis, Gen Z Chef and Join Thanksgiving Ambassador. “If you don’t have a place to go for Thanksgiving and it’s your first year away from home, it can be tough. During my post-secondary years, I often cooked a roast turkey dinner for friends who couldn’t go home for the holidays and it’s still one of my favorite memories from school.”   

On Oct. 1, eight student groups will be recognized and receive a $2,500 grant to help fund their on-campus Thanksgiving celebrations.  

At the age of 22, Chef Lewis is a prominent Sous Chef at Montréal’s Entre Deux and has held prestigious roles including the VIP Paddock Club Chef at the Montréal Grand Prix and a previous position with the Joe Beef group. He will be showcasing an innovative Thanksgiving menu featuring soy maple glazed roast turkey, gochujang and maple roasted carrots and miso Brussels sprouts. As an ambassador for the ‘Join Thanksgiving Fund,’ which provides $20,000 in grants to

To learn more and apply for the Join Thanksgiving Fund visit ThinkTurkey.ca/JoinThanksgiving.  

CENTAUR GETS STARTED: Centaur Theatre will kick off its much-anticipated “Coming Home to Centaur” Fall season with the world premiere of Sakura – After Chekhov. This witty and nostalgic adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s timeless The Cherry Orchard has been reimagined by celebrated Montreal playwright and actor Harry Standjofski and directed by Centaur Theatre’s Artistic and Executive Director, Eda Holmes. With original music by Montreal indie pop/rock sensation Torquil Campbell of Stars, this must-see production runs from Sept. 17 to Oct. 6. Set against the vibrant backdrop of contemporary Quebec, Sakura – After Chekhov tells the poignant tale of an aristocratic family grappling with the impending sale of their cherished estate, including an orchard full of memories, to alleviate growing financial burdens. Standjofski’s adaptation skillfully preserves the heart of Chekhov’s original while infusing it with fresh, modern elements that resonate with today’s audiences. The play explores heritage, loss, and the relentless passage of time, blending humor with heartfelt introspection. The show features a stellar cast of local talent, including Deena Aziz, Ravyn R. Bekh, Stefanie Buxton, Marcel Jeannin, Marc-Antoine Kelertas, Howard Rosenstein, and Paul Van Dyck. Info: https://www.centaurtheatre.com/

THE AMAZING RACE CANADA: On the heels of last weeks’s milestone tenth season finale of The Amazing Race Canada. CTV announced that Canada’s favorite summertime adventure series has been renewed for Season 11. Hosted by Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery, the show is set to welcome a new group of racers to the starting line when it returns in 2025, with casting details to be announced at a later date. I sure hope they have some Montrealers, which has not been the case for the last two seasons.

“Since its debut in 2013, The Amazing Race has become a beloved family viewing summer tradition,” said Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, Bell Media. “The series has captivated audiences across the country with exhilarating challenges, breathtaking scenery, and fierce competition – pushing the boundaries of reality competition year after year. We look forward to working with our partners at Insight Productions to once again showcase the best that Canada has to offer during Season 11.”

Customized and wholly integrated brand partnership opportunities for The Amazing Race Canada, including video, digital, social, radio, and OOH platforms with first in class data opportunities, are currently available for the upcoming season.

Have an item for my Entertainment Notebook? E-mail mcohen@thesuburban.com