Screening of the acclaimed documentary Holding Liat

On October 7, 2023, during a raid by Hamas on her kibbutz, Israeli-American Liat Atzili was kidnapped along with 250 others, 12 of whom, like Liat, are U.S. Citizens. An urgent and heart-wrenching fight for her release by her family begins, forcing members of her family to confront their own uncertainty and perspectives on conflict as they pursue Liat’s safe return home. Accompanied by several of his family members, father Yehuda travels to Washington D.C., advocating for his daughter’s release. 

Filmmaker Brandon Kramer (The First Step, TF ’21) takes on the task of following parents Yehuda and Chaya as they cope with the fear and confusion that come with being thrust into a global conflict as it rapidly unfolds in real time. Through a deeply intimate lens, he carefully shines a light on one family’s story, showing their resilience and vulnerability throughout the ordeal, providing audiences with a profound reflection of the personal impact and broader human experience behind the headlines. 

 Following the screening, Michal Ben-Josef Hirsch, associate professor, Political Science & Legal Studies Department at Suffolk University, will be in conversation with the filmmaker Brandon Kramer via Zoom. 

The film was the winner of the Berlin International Film Festival Best Documentary Award.