Overview

• Barry Avrich’s documentary, centered on retired Israeli general Noam Tibon’s Oct. 7 rescue effort, earned the Toronto festival’s audience award for best documentary.
• TIFF had briefly pulled the title over legal and safety concerns tied to Hamas-shot footage before apologizing and restoring it with strict screening conditions.
• The world premiere took place as a single public showing at Roy Thomson Hall with no press or industry screenings and visible demonstrations from opposing groups outside.
• The filmmakers plan a largely self-run theatrical rollout across roughly 125 North American screens starting Oct. 3, with additional distribution still being negotiated.
• TIFF’s overall People’s Choice Award went to Hamnet, with Frankenstein and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery named runner-ups.