Toronto film festival drops 7 October documentary over ‘unmet conditions’
Organisers pull Barry Avrich’s film on retired IDF general Noam Tibon’s mission to save his family from Hamas
The Toronto International Film Festival has withdrawn its invitation to screen The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, a Canadian documentary telling the story of retired Israel Defence Forces General Noam Tibon’s perilous 7 October mission to rescue his family from Hamas terrorists.
Directed by Barry Avrich, the film follows Tibon’s journey to reach his son (Amir Tibon, a prominent Israeli journalist), daughter-in-law and two granddaughters trapped in Kfar Aza, rescuing wounded soldiers and survivors of the Nova music festival massacre along the way. His account was first featured on 60 Minutes in October 2023.
A TIFF spokesperson told Deadline the decision was taken because “general requirements for inclusion in the festival, and conditions that were requested when the film was initially invited, were not met, including legal clearance of all footage.”
They said the measures were intended “to protect TIFF from legal implications and to allow TIFF to manage and mitigate anticipated and known risks around the screening of a film about highly sensitive subject matter, including potential threat of significant disruption.”
Festival rules state TIFF “may disqualify from participation in the Festival any film that TIFF determines in its sole and absolute discretion would not be in TIFF’s best interest to include.”
The filmmaking team said: “We are shocked and saddened that a venerable film festival has defied its mission and censored its own programming… We are not political filmmakers, nor are we activists; we are storytellers. We remain defiant, we will release the film, and we invite audiences… to make up their own mind.”
Sources told Deadline TIFF was concerned about possible disruptive protests during the 4-14 September festival, drawing parallels to last year’s controversy over the anti-war documentary Russians at War. That screening was briefly cancelled following diplomatic objections before being reinstated under heavy security.
The Road Between Us was invited to screen on 14 July with conditions that included a title change – from Out of Nowhere: The Ultimate Rescue – which was accepted. Festival officials say producers were required to confirm legal clearance for 7 October footage, provide errors and omissions insurance naming TIFF, submit a legal reporting letter, and agree to additional security.
The filmmakers say they supplied the insurance documents and clearance confirmations. TIFF maintains it had requested proof by early August and to view the film again on 8 August to verify compliance. On 11 August, festival CEO Cameron Bailey asked the producers to withdraw; they refused. The invitation was formally rescinded the next day.
The documentary is due to be released in Canada by Cineplex. A UK release date has not been announced.
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