Dan Mangan is the subject of a new documentary from filmmaker David Var titled Letters from Home, which finds the singer-songwriter gearing up for a sold-out show and reading heartwarming letters from fans.
"We reached out to Dan Mangan and offered to film the behind-the-scenes of his sold-out Vancouver show," explained Var. "During his intimate solo performance, he asked his fans to write him a letter. This film is his response to those letters and our honest conversation about music and success."
Produced by Lights and Shadows Productions, the 40-minute film is available to watch on a pay-what-you-can basis via Var's Stories.Stream, an "online cinema of inspiring stories about people from different walks of life."
Watch the trailer below, where you can also read Var's director's statement. Head to Stories.Stream to watch the full documentary.
Letters from Home is my love letter to Vancouver. My family and I fled Armenia during the war and settled in Russia, where I became a human rights lawyer.
Despite not feeling at home, returning to Armenia was not an option. Pursuing my dream of becoming a filmmaker, I moved to Canada in 2012 and found my true home in Vancouver. I instantly fell in love with the city's natural beauty, architecture, and people.
While working on a project, I met Dan, who had just become a father. Back then I only saw his music as an occasional entertainment. Dan's songs are not fast food; you need to slow down and pay attention while listening to them, and I was looking for a quick fix.
During COVID, his music and lyrics suddenly made sense to me. A skippable song on the radio became a conversation, poem, and therapy on my couch at home. I knew I had to tell his story.
After producing several international films, including Gravity Is Just a Habit on Netflix I reached out to Dan to capture his sold-out show in Vancouver. To make the experience more meaningful for Dan's fans, we placed 300 pieces of paper at the entrance of the Fox Cabaret, where Dan was performing his sold-out show.
We asked his audience to write him a letter, knowing that these would be heartfelt letters, but we never could have predicted the types of stories people would share. This documentary is an opportunity to hear Dan's music within the context of behind-the-scenes conversations about music, success, and the impact it has had on regular people. And, yes, it is also a love letter to Vancouver, where it all began.
"We reached out to Dan Mangan and offered to film the behind-the-scenes of his sold-out Vancouver show," explained Var. "During his intimate solo performance, he asked his fans to write him a letter. This film is his response to those letters and our honest conversation about music and success."
Produced by Lights and Shadows Productions, the 40-minute film is available to watch on a pay-what-you-can basis via Var's Stories.Stream, an "online cinema of inspiring stories about people from different walks of life."
Watch the trailer below, where you can also read Var's director's statement. Head to Stories.Stream to watch the full documentary.
Letters from Home is my love letter to Vancouver. My family and I fled Armenia during the war and settled in Russia, where I became a human rights lawyer.
Despite not feeling at home, returning to Armenia was not an option. Pursuing my dream of becoming a filmmaker, I moved to Canada in 2012 and found my true home in Vancouver. I instantly fell in love with the city's natural beauty, architecture, and people.
While working on a project, I met Dan, who had just become a father. Back then I only saw his music as an occasional entertainment. Dan's songs are not fast food; you need to slow down and pay attention while listening to them, and I was looking for a quick fix.
During COVID, his music and lyrics suddenly made sense to me. A skippable song on the radio became a conversation, poem, and therapy on my couch at home. I knew I had to tell his story.
After producing several international films, including Gravity Is Just a Habit on Netflix I reached out to Dan to capture his sold-out show in Vancouver. To make the experience more meaningful for Dan's fans, we placed 300 pieces of paper at the entrance of the Fox Cabaret, where Dan was performing his sold-out show.
We asked his audience to write him a letter, knowing that these would be heartfelt letters, but we never could have predicted the types of stories people would share. This documentary is an opportunity to hear Dan's music within the context of behind-the-scenes conversations about music, success, and the impact it has had on regular people. And, yes, it is also a love letter to Vancouver, where it all began.