I was recently given early access to watch the new documentary film ‘Hello, Bookstore which will be in Cinemas and On Demand from 30th June 2023, brought to you by Bulldog Film Distribution.

The film is a charming love-letter to the institution of local bookshops and the challenges they’ve faced in recent years, especially how hard they were hit by Covid-19.

In the shadow of adversity, a small town rallies to protect a beloved local bookstore in its hour of need. A landmark in Lenox, Massachusetts, The bookstore is a magical, beatnik gem thanks to its owner Matt Tannenbaum, whose passion for stories runs deep.

Presiding at The Bookstore for over forty years, Matt is a true bard of the Berkshires and his shop is the kind of place to get lost in. This intimate portrait of The Bookstore and the family at its heart offers a journey through good times, hard times and the stories hidden on the shelves.

Run Time – 86 Minutes
Rating – PG
Release Date – 30th June 2023

In this docufilm, we meet seventy-something independent bookshop owner Matt Tannenbaum who owns and runs ‘The Bookstore’ which is situated in Lenox, Massachusetts. Matt has run the store for over forty years and dedicated his life to the written word and his customers. When the pandemic hits in 2019 Matt has to change his way of working as customers are no longer allowed in the store and financial pressures start to mount.

In this intimate film, we see the lengths that Matt goes to, to not only keep his business afloat but also to keep giving his customers, both old and new, the books and the service they deserve.

The film has a lovely homely feel to it. There is always something comforting about walking into a bookstore and you get that feeling with this movie as you witness how much the customers of The Bookstore love the shop and how much Matt loves it too. You also see the difficult side of owning an independent bookshop and the financial hardship that often comes with it.

The many cameras (which you never see) pick up everything both inside and just outside the store and the film is shot over a long period of time so you get to see the store in all the seasons and through good and bad times. This isn’t just a shoot about the books and the store though, this is a film about Matt Tannenbaum who shares with us how his love of reading came about and his life’s story.

What I think makes this film so special is Matt’s passion. Not only the passion he has for his store and his customers but the passion he has for the books. The way he holds them as if each is personal to him. The rearranging, the talking to customers about them, and how he can select with ease a book for a customer who doesn’t know which to choose.

This is a must-see for all bookworms. If you love the written word then check out the places the film is on at the bottom of this page – including on-demand services you can watch at home. You definitely don’t want to miss it as there may never be a movie that is so dedicated to books again.

At Home:
Amazon Prime Video
Apple TV
Curzon Home Cinema
Google Play
iTunes
Sky Store
Vimeo On Demand

In Cinemas:
FROM 30 JUNE
Belfast – Queen’s Film Theatre (2-5 July only)
Cardiff – Chapter
Glasgow – GFT
London – Act One, Acton (1, 2, 4 July only)
London – Bertha DocHouse
London – Castle Cinema Hackney
Nottingham – Broadway Cinema
Leicester – Phoenix Cinema
Manchester – HOME
Sheffield – Showroom
Hackney – The Castle
FROM 7 JULY
Aldeburgh – Aldeburgh Cinema (10 July only)
Alnwick – Alnwick Playhouse (12 + 13 July only)
Ipswich – King Street Cinema
Newcastle – Tyneside Cinema
FROM 14 JULY
Chichester – Cinema at New Park (15, 17, 20 July only)
Dartington – Barn Cinema
Warwick – Warwick Arts Centre (14-16 July only)
Aberystwyth – Aberystwyth Arts Centre (16, 17, 19 July only)
FROM 21 JULY
Hereford – The Courtyard
FROM 28 JULY
Christchurch – The Regent
Saffron Walden – Saffron Screen (31 July only)
Halifax – Square Chapel Arts Centre
IN AUGUST
Bury St Edmunds – Abbeygate Cinema (08 August only)
Penrith – Lonsdale Alhambra Cinema (28 August only)
IN SEPTEMBER
Hull – Truck Theatre (15 Sept only)
IN OCTOBER
Corsham – Pound Arts (12 Oct only)
Swanage – Purbeck Film Festival (31 Oct only)