The entertainment industry never rarely fails to disappoint, even outside of Hollywood.
However, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) hit a shocking new low for cinema. TIFF officials have removed a documentary about the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel from its 2025 lineup. The film, titled “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” follows the story of retired Israeli General Noam Tibon, who helped rescue his family and others during the attack.
The excuse being used stems from the documentary’s use of footage filmed by the terrorists themselves as they carried out their heinous atrocities. Festival organizers are apparently worried about Hamas’ copyright claims.
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) announced this week that it had canceled its invitation to screen a documentary about the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, due to ostensible copyright concerns stemming from the fact that the filmmakers did not receive permission from the Hamas terrorists whose clips are featured in the film.The festival was set to show “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” which tells the story of Maj. Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon, who set out to save his son, journalist Amir Tibon, and his son’s family as they were attacked by Hamas-led terrorists at their home on Kibbutz Nahal Oz. The film was created by Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich.The movie features footage taken from the cameras of terrorists, who filmed their atrocities as they marauded through Israeli communities. Over a quarter of Nahal Oz’s 400 residents were killed or taken hostage that day.News of the movie’s disinvitation was first published in Deadline, which said TIFF pulled the screening due to fear of anti-Israel protesters disrupting the festival, as well as the copyright issue.
The filmmakers, assert that TIFF is engaging in “censorship” by denying the film a place in the festival.
“We are shocked and saddened that a venerable film festival has defied its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this film,” the filmmaking team said in a statement. “Ultimately, film is an art form that stimulates debate from every perspective that can both entertain us and make us uncomfortable.”Deadline, which first reported the news, said a sticking point was related to the identification and legal clearance of Hamas militants’ own livestreaming of the attack.The filmmakers pledged to release the film regardless: “We invite audiences, broadcasters and streamers to make up their own mind, once they have seen it.”
The use of cell phones and bodycams to capture criminal acts is a relatively new phenomenon. And it is hardly surprising that the entertainment industry, usually filled with pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel glitterati, would like to hide the horrific footage that Hamas terrorists captured on their sneak attack and subsequent rape and slaughter of the innocents. So this is certainly new legal territory.
So the upside of this news for the creators of “The Road Between Us” is the publicity the film is now getting. And, personally, after the fine work of the Israeli Defense Force, I am thinking there are few Hamas goons left who can actually file a copyright claim in a court of law.
Plus. there are plenty of talented lawyers ready to help.
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