After October 7, 2023, my brother Lance and I contacted our extended family in Israel to check on their well-being.
When we spoke with our relative Yehuda, we learned that his daughter Liat and son-in-law Aviv went missing from their kibbutz and were presumed to be hostages in Gaza. Since Liat was one of a dozen American citizens missing, Yehuda told us that he planned to come with his family to our hometown, Washington, DC, to advocate for their release.
We did not know what was about to unfold, but we felt an imperative to start documenting the family’s experience. We started by asking questions, observing, and being present in quiet moments where there often were no other cameras. Within the first days of filming, we were struck by the multiplicity of perspectives within the family on how to free hostages, end the escalating war, and find a path toward reconciliation. Liat and Aviv’s captivity brought out questions about each family member’s identity and their relationships with one another. Our camera became a place for each person in the family to authentically share without judgment.
We had a unique access point to create a historical record of this moment through the frame of one family. Because of our pre-existing relationships beginning decades prior to October 7th, we were able to bear witness with an intimacy and depth that could go beyond the intense glare of the media spotlight. We filmed with the family in their homes, in the halls of Congress, and backstage at demonstrations, as they were thrust into the epicenter of this geopolitical crisis. Where the story led us was a profound place we never could have imagined from the onset.
By telling an intimate story of one directly impacted family, and the way they navigated differences amongst each other, we hope to open new possibilities for understanding.
More than a year after October 7th, lives are still imperiled: with hostages still held, tens of thousands of Palestinians killed, and people across the region suffering. Our conversations about all these issues have only become more polarized, even within communities and families. By telling an intimate story of one directly impacted family, and the way they navigated differences amongst each other, we hope to open new possibilities for understanding this conflict and contribute to an end to the unrelenting violence in the region.
We are keenly aware that this film is just one family’s story out of countless others, and that many important stories may tragically never be told. We hope through the family's resilience and openness, alongside other Israeli and Palestinian films that seek to broaden understanding, audiences will find room to ask deeper questions that help mark a path toward healing and reconciliation.
Brandon Kramer
