Introduction to the Controversy
Filmmaker Barry Avrich spoke on Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) about his resumed documentary, "The Street Between Us", and revealed that Cameron Bailey, CEO of the festival, told him that it was a "mistake" to withdraw the film. The documentary is about retired Israeli General Noam Tibon’s mission to save family members during the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks.
The Initial Withdrawal
The film was initially withdrawn from TIFF, supposedly due to concerns regarding the rights of footage that affects the film material from Hamas’ body cameras. Avrich stated that after "painful" five days of "back and forth" with the festival, during which he made it clear that his team was diligent in researching material, he spoke to Bailey shortly before the festival.
Clarification and Resolution
"I met Cameron Bailey to talk about it," said Avrich. "He found that the process was a mistake, the decision [to disinvite] was a mistake." When the film was withdrawn at the beginning of August, it led to a 1000-signing petition of entertainment figures condemning the move. Bailey denied the allegations that the film was "rejected due to censorship", and "The Street Between Us" was reinstated in mid-August.
The Filmmaker’s Perspective
Avrich explained, "We use visual researchers who are well-versed in licensing material. I’ve made 70 different films, and it’s not my first rodeo. To my best knowledge, I didn’t know… We spoke to our researchers and our legal team, and we believed that the use of film material is available." He added that the film material was not a relaxation and that they had assured the festival that everything was in order.
Future Plans
Avrich also mentioned that a non-related narrative feature version of the film is in the works. When discussing the origins of his documentary, he said that he called Tibon cold after hearing from Tel Aviv about the general’s mission to save family members in the Nahal Oz Kibbutz. A script has been approved, and Avrich stated that he doesn’t know who the director and talent attached to the project are, but it will be done.
Reflection on the Experience
Avrich described the situation as "one of the strangest consequences of my career". He stated that the festival was aware that the issue would arise and that they had written about the reasons for the filmmakers having no legal release for film material, which didn’t seem unusual to him. Despite the challenges, Avrich is moving forward with his projects, including the documentary and the upcoming narrative feature.
