Following a torrent of international media attention and considerable outcry from myriad organizations, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) CEO Cameron Bailey has issued a statement concerning the fest’s controversial decision to rescind an invitation to The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue (pictured), a documentary from Barry Avrich that explores the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The doc tells the story of a retired Israeli Defense Forces general’s mission to rescue his son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters during the Hamas attacks. It is written and directed by Avrich, who produced with Mark Selby under their shared Toronto-based banner Melbar Entertainment Group.

In the statement, issued at 6 p.m. EDT on Wednesday (Aug. 13), Bailey said he recognizes the “concerns it has raised among members of the Jewish community and beyond,” and apologizes “for any pain this situation may have caused.”

“It was never my intention to offend or alienate anyone,” wrote Bailey. “At TIFF, we believe in the transformative power of film to foster understanding and dialogue, especially during challenging times.

“My intention was to screen The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue, which is why I extended the invitation for the film to participate in this year’s festival,” he added. “Given the sensitive and significant nature of the film’s subject, I believe that it tells an important story and contributes to the rich tapestry of perspectives in our lineup — stories that resonate both here at home and around the world.”

Bailey also used the statement to refute allegations of censorship — a charge that was put forward by the filmmaking team in its joint statement issued on Tuesday, when it first shared news of the invitation’s withdrawal with the press (Deadline first reported on the story).

In that statement, the filmmaking team behind the doc said that TIFF had “defied its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this film.”

Bailey, however, pushed back against that assessment and said avenues are being explored to screen the film.

“I want to be clear: claims that the film was rejected due to censorship are unequivocally false,” he wrote. “I remain committed to working with the filmmaker to meet TIFF’s screening requirements to allow the film to be screened at this year’s festival. I have asked our legal team to work with the filmmaker on considering all options available.”

When the news first broke regarding the film’s status in the TIFF lineup, the festival issued a statement to various news outlets saying that the invitation for screening was “withdrawn by TIFF because general requirements for inclusion in the festival, and conditions that were requested when the film was initially invited, were not met, including legal clearance of all footage.”

The statement went on to say that “the purpose of the requested conditions was to protect TIFF from legal implications and to allow TIFF to manage and mitigate anticipated and known risks around the screening of a film about highly sensitive subject matter, including potential threat of significant disruption.”

As news spread of the situation, reaction was swift from various organizations, with Toronto’s Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center posting via social media that the decision was an “insult to Canada’s Jewish community and to all who suffered unimaginable atrocities and trauma on October 7.”

Toronto City Councillors Brad Bradford and James Pasternak, as well as Stan Cho, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, also weighed in on the move, as did the Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), which bills itself as a “non-profit entertainment industry organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment community who have come together to build bridges through the arts, to educate about rising antisemitism in the entertainment industry, and to galvanize support against the cultural boycott of Israel.”

The CCFP wrote: “By silencing this film, TIFF abandons artistic freedom and sends the chilling message that some victims’ stories matter more than others.”

Concluding his statement, Bailey wrote: “The events of October 7, 2023 and the ongoing suffering in Gaza weigh heavily on us, underscoring the urgent need for compassion amid rising antisemitism and Islamophobia. While we are not a political organization, TIFF will always strive to present our programming in a safe, inclusive environment.

“I ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate this complex landscape,” he added. “It is my great hope that this year’s Festival will be a celebration of these values, and the power film holds to bring people together.”

This story originally appeared in Realscreen

Image courtesy of Melbar Entertainment Group