TIFF Pulls Invite For October 7th Documentary ‘The Road Between Us'; Filmmakers Say Fest Has 'Censored Its Own Programming'
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue tells the story about retired Israel Defense Forces General Noam Tibon, who embarked on a heroic mission to save his family, including his two granddaughters, who were surrounded by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, 2023. Tibon also rescued survivors of the music festival massacre and help ed wounded Israeli soldiers on his journey to save his family. His story was originally covered by 60 Minutes in October 2023.
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A TIFF spokesperson tells Deadline on Tuesday, 'The invitation for the Canadian documentary film The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue was withdrawn by TIFF because general requirements for inclusion in the festival, and conditions that were requested when the film was initially invited, were not met,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. The purpose of the requested conditions was 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.'
'As per our terms and conditions for participation in the festival, '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 in the Festival.''
The filmmaking team behind The Road Between Us tells Deadline: 'We are shocked and saddened that a venerable film festival has defied its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this film. Ultimately, film is an art form that stimulates debate from every perspective that can both entertain us and make us uncomfortable. A film festival lays out the feast and the audience decides what they will or won't see. We are not political filmmakers, nor are we activists; we are storytellers. We remain defiant, we will release the film, and we invite audiences, broadcasters, and streamers to make up their own mind, once they have seen it.'
Sources tell us that TIFF pulled the movie due to potential risks of disruptive protests at this year's festival, which runs September 4-14. TIFF faced a similar situation last year with the antiwar documentary Russians at War, which stirred Ukrainian diplomats and activists to urge the fest to cancel screenings, claiming it was Russian propaganda. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was also riled up over the docu. TIFF halted screenings on Russians at War, then showed the docu days following the festival with heavy security at showtimes.
In the case of The Road Between Us, its filmmakers were under the impression the documentary was being announced in TIFF's doc lineup on August 6, however, per fest insiders that wasn't the case because the movie hadn't met its requirements. The Road Between Us was invited to play at TIFF on July 14 under certain requirements.
What were those?
The festival suggested that the movie title be changed from its original title Out of Nowhere: The Ultimate Rescue. The filmmakers complied.
Filmmakers were told they had to make editorial changes specifically identifying horrific footage that was livestreamed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, footage that had already been seen publicly. The festival claims it requested that the filmmakers not make changes, rather identify the source of the footage and confirmation of legal clearance. The Road Between Us team were asked and provided an errors and omissions insurance letter that added TIFF as the insured. Filmmakers were also asked to provide a legal reporting letter confirming clearance of the footage, as well as added security. We're told by the festival that the event was going to provide additional security given any potential risk from the film.
On August 6, TIFF's lawyer informed the producers that they wanted to see evidence of the indemnification, legal letter and insurance certificate, and screen the film for a third time on August 8 to verify that TIFF's required changes were made. On Monday, TIFF boss Cameron Bailey called the producers of The Road Between Us and asked them to withdraw the film. We're told by all sources that the filmmakers refused.
Bailey officially uninvited The Road Between Us in an email to producers today.
The documentary is being distributed by Cineplex in Canada.
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