The Toronto International Film Festival says a documentary about the Hamas attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, is now an official selection and will screen at the festival after initially being disinvited.
TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and filmmaker Barry Avrich say they have reached a resolution after hearing “pain and frustration” from the public.
In a joint statement, they say they have ironed out “important safety, legal and programming concerns” around the film, titled “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue.”
“We have worked together to find a resolution to satisfy important safety, legal, and programming concerns,” Bailey said in a statement Wednesday night.
Earlier this week, festival organizers said they pulled the documentary because it didn’t meet certain requirements around security concerns and “legal clearance of all footage.”
The decision sparked an international outcry, including from some Jewish groups and politicians. The filmmakers also accused the festival of censorship.
TIFF backtracked on Wednesday, saying it would find a way to work with the documentary team to find a way to screen the film.
“In this case, TIFF’s communication around its requirements did not clearly articulate the concerns and roadblocks that arose and for that, we are sorry,” Bailey said.
“Both TIFF and the filmmakers have always been committed to presenting diverse perspectives and a belief in the power of storytelling to spark and encourage dialogue and understanding.”
Around the same time the statement was released Thursday evening, protesters were outside the TIFF Lightbox theatre in downtown Toronto, some waving Israeli flags and signs calling for Bailey to resign.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said TIFF ultimately made the right choice after its “shameful decision to cave to extremist pressure.”
“It should never have been a question whether one of our leading cultural institutions would showcase a story of courage and survival,” said Noah Shack, the organization’s chief executive officer, in a statement Thursday.
“There is an urgent need for accountability to ensure this can never happen again — at TIFF or anywhere else.”
The Montreal-born Avrich has had a decades-long career as a documentary filmmaker, often focusing on high-profile personalities, including 2023’s “Oscar Peterson: Black + White,” which won a Canadian Screen Award for best documentary. Several of his films have premièred at TIFF, including 2019’s “David Foster: Off the Record,” offering an intimate look at the Canadian music producer.
Last year, the festival faced ongoing protests and security concerns over another documentary, “Russians at War,” that ultimately led to cancelled screenings before it was quietly shown toward the end of the festival.
The 50th Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 4–14.