Hello, Bookstore – Watch the trailer for the new documentary

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.

The film id directed by A.B. Zax who said “I have always felt at home in a bookstore. By that living, breathing sense of connection to stories and voices, old and new. For me, that sensation has never been stronger than inside The Bookstore in Lenox, Massachusetts. After spending many blissful hours listening to Matt Tannenbaum’s tales and watching him hold court at The Bookstore, I was struck by a vision to capture its essence: this person, this place and the community that it serves. When I started filming in the autumn of 2019, I never could have predicted what story would present itself in March 2020. I only knew that it was my responsibility not to shy away from the surreal, extraordinary events unfolding around us. What emerged in the hardship of the pandemic, more viscerally than I ever could have imagined, was the symbiosis between a community and a bookstore. That a bookstore isn’t merely a whimsical place to pick out a book, it’s vital to our well-being. And that we need stories now more than ever.”

Bulldog Film Distribution presents Hello, Bookstore in cinemas and on demand 30 June 2023.