Survivors on Oct. 7 Nova Music Festival Doc

We Will Dance Once more, a 90-minute documentary concerning the victims and survivors of the bloodbath on the Nova Music Pageant, one of many websites in Israel that was attacked by Hamas a 12 months in the past, received a particular preview screening in London on Tuesday night courtesy of the BBC, whose Storyville doc strand is debuting this system within the U.Okay. on Wednesday night time.

Utilizing the testimony of survivors, CCTV and cell phone footage, the movie tells the non-public tales of a number of the individuals who lived and lots of who died. It reveals partygoers hiding below the stage, in a fridge, bogs and trash containers and performs recordings of a number of the emergency calls made to the Israeli military, police and ambulance service. The social gathering, which started as a celebration for round 3,500 Israelis and different nationals, ended with 364 individuals being killed and 44 being taken hostage.

After Tuesday’s screening on the Jewish Neighborhood Heart JW3 in North London, journalist Emma Barnett hosted a Q&A panel dialogue with the doc’s author and director Yariv Mozer (The Satan’s Confession: The Misplaced Eichmann Tapes, Ben Gurion: Epilogue, My First Battle), in addition to pageant survivors Noam, Kfir and Ziv, whose fiancé Eliya stays a hostage in Gaza, and Moshe Shapiro, the daddy of sufferer Aner. The doc airs on BBC Two on Wednesday night, and turns into out there on the U.Okay. public broadcaster’s iPlayer streaming service on Thursday. Paramount+ premiered it on Tuesday.

Aner’s father was requested about watching part of the doc that explains how his son picked up one dwell Hamas hand grenade after one other and threw them away to guard a bunch of individuals searching for security in a small bomb shelter. “You noticed the merciless factor and the worst sight conceivable. Individuals got here with the intention of bloodbath, of raping, of killing, slaughtering, burning individuals of all religions. They killed Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists. They killed all of them. And it was, initially, a celebration of affection and peace. That is what unites all of the individuals within the social gathering.”

He continued: “What Aner did, that’s an act of goodness. … I believe it’s virtually a biblical message that confirmed us that if you’re ethical in your values and you’ve got the love of individuals — as a result of he knew solely two mates that got here with him at first, however he knew that he needed to stand and shield them and others, no matter they’re, Jews or Muslims. And he succeeded for 44 minutes to face towards 20 totally armed terrorists with machine weapons, with grenades, with RPGs. He didn’t achieve saving his life, however he succeeded in saving others’ lives. And it is a message: If you’re standing on an ethical base, you possibly can combat evil. And that’s one thing common. It’s not [only] related to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. It’s one thing that could be a lesson for humanity.”

Ziv, who was hiding in the identical shelter as Aner, was visibly overcome by emotion when she shared: “Due to Aner and due to his bravery, I’m right here. He saved my life.” Sporting a T-shirt along with her fiancé’s face and title on it, she emphasised: “There are nonetheless 101 hostages in Gaza, and it’s not over. This isn’t a narrative for the previous. We’re [still] dwelling this nightmare.”

Noam, who earned applause for strolling and standing after a stunning second within the doc that reveals her in a wheelchair, introduced stickers in reminiscence of David, telling the London viewers: “I would like you all to seize one and stick it all around the world.” She added: “David was my hero from the start till the tip, till now. The truth that I’m on my ft is as a result of I’ve David in my head, in my coronary heart, in my physique. … Now I do know that vitality doesn’t die, and other people that you simply love [are] nonetheless right here with you. I can speak to David each single day. I get so many indicators from him.”

Kfir mentioned dwelling with the information that mates and lots of others died: “I’ve one take a look at the sky, and I can really feel them. It’s very arduous, but it surely offers me plenty of which means. Now I really feel that I’m dwelling not just for myself. I really feel them.”

He added about taking part within the doc: “I wished individuals to grasp that I had mates who got here with me to rejoice love who didn’t come again. And I’ll do my finest each day to make this message undergo.”

How are the Oct. 7 survivors coping with the trauma? “We even have the Nova neighborhood, and as a Nova survivor, we’ve this course, and we discover ways to cope with the trauma, and the way to have the ability to assist others sooner or later,” shared Noam. “Truly, mates of David and I raised donations and [created this] NGO. We constructed a home in Thailand for younger people who had been serving within the Military in the course of the seventh of October or are survivors. And in the event that they wish to go and depart Israel for a little bit bit to get their minds [off of things], they will come.” She stated the concept happened as a result of after the bloodbath, “I wished to get psychological well being assist, they usually didn’t actually have a solution for that. So I wished to construct one thing so others can have this therapy. And, in fact, the Nova individuals, we’ve this lovely neighborhood. We’re there for one another, which is essentially the most superb factor.”

Produced by Michal Weitz, We Will Dance Once more was govt produced by Ariel Weisbrod, Emilio Schenker, Sheldon Lazarus, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner, Gabe Turner, Ben Winston, Michael Peter Schmidt, Gideon Tadmor, Dari Shay, Rinat Klein and Dorit Hessel.

Lucie Kon, commissioning editor at BBC Storyville, beforehand stated: “I’m grateful to the younger survivors of the Nova Music Pageant who’ve trusted us to share their experiences of that horrible day in order that BBC viewers can get a way of a few of what they skilled. This is a vital movie.”

Mozer beforehand stated: “I see it as my obligation as a documentary filmmaker to deliver to the world the testimonies and horrific tales of the survivors of this slaughter, those that are not with us, and the numerous who’re nonetheless captured hostages in Gaza, with their destiny remaining unknown. These are younger men and women whose solely sin was their want for music and the fervour to rejoice free love, spirit, and freedom.”

Of their post-screening panel in London, the survivors had been additionally requested how they felt about audiences world wide seeing a number of the horror they needed to witness. “I heard plenty of occasions that individuals denied and other people can’t actually think about the entire thing,” Kfir shared. “So I’m very pleased with Yariv. I couldn’t see the film. It took me plenty of time to see the film as a result of he makes the message very clear: The place is the evil and the place is the love?”

Mozer shared that past Paramount+ within the U.S. and the BBC within the U.Okay., the doc can even be seen in Israel on doc channel Sizzling 8, on Germany’s RTL, together with Spain, Australia and extra. He stated it may well assist individuals perceive “the place to begin of the place we’re right this moment,” including “the fear, the disaster, the whole lot — this movie is an proof.”

Noam shared: “I don’t assume anybody has ever seen one thing like this, apart from [in] films, so the human thoughts can not even think about one thing like this. So yeah, you possibly can select if you wish to take a look at it or not, however it’s my mission to let it out so everybody can perceive and have it of their thoughts. As a result of that is one thing that you’ll always remember.” She concluded: “I’ll always remember, and it’s important for everybody to see that. I would like the entire world to see it.”

We Will Dance Once more is now streaming on Paramount+.