Daryl Hannah wants to bring husband Neil Young’s ‘vulnerability’ to cinemas

A music documentary about singer-songwriter Neil Young to be shown in cinemas will highlight his “authenticity, openness and vulnerability as a person, musician and performer”, director and wife Daryl Hannah has said.

Titled Coastal, the film covers the touring life of Canada-born Young, 79, and is directed by Kill Bill actress Hannah.

The 64-year-old said: “With Coastal I wanted to highlight Neil’s authenticity, openness and vulnerability as a person, musician and performer.

“He is as pure and honest as they come. Deeply devoted to his musical muse, which at times presented a challenge in capturing the songs, as we never knew what he might play or what instruments he’d pick up next.

“But what we were able to capture has an unpretentious magic that reveals the truth, sentiment and emotions in these hidden gems as well as a close-up look at a performer who plays from the heart with a total lack of pretence.”

The movie promises a “behind-the-curtain glimpse of this unguarded iconoclast as he navigates a return to the stage post-Covid”, as the “illuminating film also features songs rarely, if ever, played live, performed in breathtakingly beautiful theatres”.

Hannah has taken cameras inside Young’s silver eagle tour bus while showcasing footage from his concerts and behind the scenes.

Young was on his Coastal tour in 2023 post-Covid and will head to Europe and perform at Glastonbury this year.

The documentary is produced by Gary Ward, edited by Rachel Simmer, with cinematography by Adam CK Vollick and Hannah.

Young was in rock band Buffalo Springfield and also had success with supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with Buffalo Springfield in 1997, two years after he was inducted as a solo artist.

As well as his solo releases, the Heart Of Gold singer has made more than 20 live and studio albums billed as being by Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

Hannah’s directing work with Young includes musical film Paradox as well as documentaries Mountaintop, which looks at Young making an album with Crazy Horse after a more than half a decade absence at the time, and the Grammy-nominated Barn, which follows the band recording the album of the same name.

He has been in a relationship with Hannah reportedly since 2014 and they tied the knot a few years later.

Young has been nominated for 28 Grammys, winning as art director for The Archives Vol. 1 (1963–1972), and for best rock song for Angry World.

He was named as 2010’s MusiCares Person of the Year and founded the Bridge School Benefit Concert in 1986 to raise money for children with speech issues.

Coastal had its premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival in October 2024 and its west coast premiere in February at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

The film from Shakey Pictures, Trafalgar Releasing and Warner Records will be in cinemas on April 17 for a one-night only event.