The Oct. 7 survivors interviewed for “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” don’t rage against the Hamas terrorists who killed 1,200 innocents and captured hundreds more.
At least not on camera.
The same applies to Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich.
His documentary, which caused a stir at the Toronto International Film Festival for simply existing, doesn’t litigate the Israeli/Palestinian crisis. It’s a factual account of the harrowing hours as Hamas fiends slaughtered innocents, raped women and shattered families.
The unspoken focus? What separates Israel from those eager to wipe it off the face of the earth.
The documentary lets retired Israeli general Noam Tibon share how he risked it all to save his family on Oct. 7. Their kibbutz was one of many under attack, and his clan hid in a safe room, unsure when to leave or if help would ever arrive.
Tibon painstakingly recalls his 10-hour mission to reach them, a journey marked by detours, attacks and pleas for help from those he met along the way.
In the process, we get to know the ex-warrior, his extended family and some of the people who survived the worst terror attack in decades.
The visuals include standard documentary fare, video of the attack’s aftermath and bucolic shots of the land in more peaceful days. For some viewers, those images of Israel may come as a surprise. The kibbutz culture also gets a short but sweet closeup.
We also see footage of Hamas soldiers firing indiscriminately into cars, homes and anywhere Jewish citizens might be.
Those visuals come courtesy of the terrorists, who filmed their atrocities as if gleeful of their handiwork. Avrich’s team proved judicious in its use. It’s neither exploitative nor cruel, hiding the worst images from us while showcasing their ultimate intentions:
Death on a massive scale.
If “Road” has an agenda or angle beyond the obvious, it’s rage against the Israeli government for leaving them so woefully unprepared for the attack. Not only were officials caught flat-footed by the terrorists’ plot, but the IDF didn’t come to the rescue for hours after the assault began, according to the film and its interview subjects.
What emerges from “The Road Between Us” is as powerful as any documentary could offer. It’s the gap between ordinary Israelis like Tibon and their attackers. One side holds life precious but is willing to risk anything to protect family and strangers alike.
Tibon could have gone straight to his family’s kibbutz to save them. He was in near-constant contact with his son, texting updates and waiting anxiously to see if they were still protected.
Instead, he had to consider helping others along the way, fellow Israelis who also could have been killed without a former soldier’s help.
The other side? Kill without mercy, and keep those cameras rolling.
HiT or Miss: “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” is a bracing testament to courage and humanity in the very worst of times.