Much like how last year’s 20 Days In Mariupol touched me on a very visceral level, this harrowing exploration of concertgoers desperately trying anything to stay alive is one of the most powerful things you could possibly watch this year. It takes interviews with survivors, and mixes it with found footage, to tell a terrifying narrative of HAMAS terrorists that caught everyone off guard, and left behind a wake and range of victims. If you are wondering why the war in Israel is continuing on, this is a documentary for that answer.
People came from all over to attend this festival, to be vendors, or artists, and they never thought this would happen. Think about how many festivals we have around the world, and imaginen what you already know to be true. People do fly in from other countries, so the idea that HAMAS targeted only Jews or the Israeli population is proved false just through the conversations had with survivors who flew in and are not from Israel. One survivor mentioned just having attended a similar festival in Brazil, for example. As a movie oriented person, I equate this to a sudden terrorist attack at the Venice Film Festival, where I know that the town isn’t just full of Italians.
But, aside from the unforgivable random act of violence, what this documentary also highlights is the failure of the Israeli response system to come in and take all the 911 calls seriously. People were calling emergency services, and they were being brushed off. So, the survivors were often left fending for themselves. The audio description really tries to bring the feeling of terror shown in the footage, and navigate around the talking heads of the survivors. Mostly, it really does fine.
I wholeheartedly believe everyone should experience this. I doubt the Academy goes for it, but they should.
Final Grade: A
