A documentary about a dramatic rescue in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, won an audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, one month after it was reinstated to the lineup after a brief cancelation.
“The audience voted and I appreciate that. And we look forward to the rest of this journey,” director Barry Avrich said while accepting the documentary People’s Choice Award, which the festival boasts is an Oscar bellwether.
“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” tells the story of retired IDF general Noam Tibon’s mission to rescue his family during Hamas’ attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Tibon killed Hamas terrorists and saved other Israelis while driving from Tel Aviv to the kibbutz near Gaza after concluding that the army could not be relied upon to save his son and his family.
It had secured a slot at TIFF for its premiere when the festival told Avrich and his collaborators last month that it could not be shown. They cited both safety concerns and questions about whether the filmmakers had the legal rights for some of its footage — eliciting disbelief that the festival would require Israelis to get permission from Hamas to use atrocities it filmed.
Amid a backlash, the festival said it was still open to working with the filmmakers to resolve the concerns. Within days, it was back on the schedule.
The premiere on Thursday drew an ovation as well demonstrations by both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters outside the festival in downtown Toronto.
Avrich thanked TIFF’s CEO, Cameron Bailey, for his support for the film. “I appreciate everything that TIFF has done for us,” he said.
The movie is expected to play in about 20 cities in the United States beginning in late October.
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