Hallelujah

The Hallelujah Men's Choir from the Dutch town of Urk has existed for more than 100 years. Filmmaker Kees Brouwers followed the choir during the year leading up to a concert in Paris in celebration of its 100th birthday. For Brouwer, born in Urk himself and the son of a former choir member, the portrait of the choir is his way to get to the core, to the soul of this deeply religious community. At the same time, he wants to leave behind the clich\'e9s about where he's from. Over the course of the film, the choir members reveal their thoughts and personal stories. Stories of happiness and misfortune, faith and disbelief, sin and remorse. They're touching stories, dealing with a fisherman who perished, the struggle with past sins, the joy of love, and even the circumstances surrounding the murder of a boy from Urk. In the choir, these stories are all tuned to one other and put into harmony. After all, talking together isn't an option, but singing together is.