Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has reinstated Barry Avrich’s documentary The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue about a retired Israeli general’s mission to rescue family members during the October 7 2023 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel.
The film was at the centre of a furore this week when reports said TIFF pulled it from the line-up – even though it had not been announced – because it did not meet “conditions that were requested”. Festival CEO Cameron Bailey clarified yesterday that TIFF was working with the filmmakers to meet screening requirements, and categorically denied claims of censorship.
On Thursday, Bailey and Avrich released a joint statement saying they had found “a resolution to satisfy important safety, legal, and programming concerns” and The Road Between Us would screen in the festival. It is understood there were copyright clearance issues involving footage shot by Hamas body cameras during the terror attack.
Adding that the screening “will contribute to the vital conversations that film is meant to inspire” the statement said: “In this case, TIFF’s communication around its requirements did not clearly articulate the concerns and roadblocks that arose and for that, we are sorry.”
The festival issued the statement several hours after local reports appeared in Toronto outlets.
Earlier this week the filmmakers said TIFF had “defied its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this film”. Other groups also lashed out, including Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, which called the move “morally outrageous”.
TIFF runs September 4-14. The full joint statement appears below:
August 14, 2025
Dear Members of the TIFF Community,
Over the past 24 hours, there has been much discussion about TIFF’s decision to withdraw its invitation to The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue for this year’s festival. Both TIFF and the filmmakers have heard the pain and frustration expressed by the public and we want to address this together.
We have worked together to find a resolution to satisfy important safety, legal, and programming concerns. We are pleased to share that The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue will be an official TIFF selection at the festival this year, where we believe it will contribute to the vital conversations that film is meant to inspire.
In this case, TIFF’s communication around its requirements did not clearly articulate the concerns and roadblocks that arose and for that, we are sorry.
Both TIFF and the filmmakers have always been committed to presenting diverse perspectives and a belief in the power of storytelling to spark and encourage dialogue and understanding. We thank our audiences and community for their passion, honesty, and belief in the importance of film. We look forward to announcing more details including the World Premiere date on August 20th.
— Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF & Barry Avrich, Filmmaker, The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue