Bravo to TIFF for selecting Israeli filmmaker, Avi Nesher’s Our Loves to screen.
With current western culture being deluged with an onslaught of content (including many docs currently playing festivals worldwide, receiving ovations) that sympathize with Palestine, it’s important to remember and reflect on the events of October 7, 2023, which seemed to swiftly become erased by an antisemitic, pro-Hamas propaganda machine, especially on social media, reinforced by a host of reckless celebrities with limited knowledge of world history ,boarding the bandwagon.
This isn’t to say that what the current Israeli government and the military have been doing to the Palestinian people is in any way justified and shouldn’t be shouted out, condemned and ended. But it is important to recall and revisit the terrorist attacks on that horrific day in October where Hamas members ruthlessly and proudly raped and murdered men, women and children, often gleefully videotaping their atrocities.
Two horrific things can be true.
Inspired by true stories and interviews, Nesher’s deeply affecting, thoughtful film doesn’t dive into much of the politics of the day (which will make it a safer sit for many) but perspicaciously tells interconnecting human stories woven together like a cinematic survivalist tapestry. These people, then, get caught up in the terror of senseless slaughter.
In the two days prior to Oct 7th, we meet an obnoxious retired policeman, Shabi (Shalom Michaelshvili) who left his wife for another woman and is bullying his son, Oz (Itamar Pinto), into testifying against his mother. His daughter, Liri (Noa Cohen), wants nothing to do with him. She’s dating sound engineer, Matan (Nevo Katan), who is upset with his mother, Katya (Lena Fraifeld) for leaving his father, Gadi (Lior Miller).
Sapir (Daniel Gimpel) is an uber religiously observant young woman whose fiancé dumps her via voicemail. She meets up with friends at the now infamous Nova Music festival and is given drugs by atheist Yoyo (Leib Lev Levin).
A jaded and no-nonsense community relations officer Milly (Magi Azarzar) is in a lesbian relationship with Sandra (Hadas Yaron) but hides it from her aging Moroccan mom…and everyone else, much to Sandra’s dismay.
And that is just a few of the characters who will find themselves under attack on October 7th. All their personal woes must be swept aside so they can work together to try and survive the day.
Having never taken drugs before, Sapir awakens on the ill-fated morning at the music festival, still high, and comments on the gorgeous sunrise, thanking God for it. An immediate Code Red sounds. And so, it begins.
The film’s dialogue is sometimes a bit cliche, but Nesher does an admirable job of blending high drama with necessary humor and depicts a few thrilling moments of catharsis. And while he doesn’t shy away from the tragedy, he also leans in on hope and even provides the beginnings of an otherwise unlikely love story.
The entire ensemble is to be commended for wonderful and engrossing work.
Our Loves was nominated for 12 Ophir Awards (Israel’s Oscar) and is in contention with Moshe Rosenthal’s arresting Tell Me Everything (which had a record breaking 16 Ophir nominations, winning 10 including Best Picture) for Israel’s International Feature Oscar submission. Both films are worthy.
Our Loves is screening at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
