The Children of October 7

What an important and wonderful documentary, sad and heartfelt, but ABSOLUTELY ruined by a half-witted woman with the most ridiculous questions ever: 'Do you miss your father?' and 'How did you feel when the terrorists came into your house?'), completely plastered in enough make-up to cover 3 elephants, jewellery to fill a entire shop, gold sunglesses, false plastic nails that you can clearly see she doesn't want anyone touching, her chest half exposed, and a wardrobe change in every scene. Who would ever dare to dress like that on a visit to such a war-torn area? - She's an insult to humanity.

This movie is a must see for all. To take the time to meet each child and discuss their pain is commendable. History must be recorded. These innocent children are completely traumatized and we are grateful Montana was able to sit and share their stories. What these children endured and experienced is unbelievable and to be able to share it for the world to hear is very brave. With the antisemitism rising in the world and the hate that is spewed it is more important now to watch this movie and hear the stories from the young innocent children. A must see - thank you Montana for doing this much needed documentary.

After watching I'm left with a very strange feeling. On one hand, I'm so impressed and horrified by the stories of these brave children and seeing how they, even while answering, are struggling to cope with their feelings. It's really heartbreaking and humbling to hear them talk about how their families were killed and what they decided to do in that moment to have a chance at living. It left me speechless for quite some time.

But on the other hand, while watching from 'documentary-technical' point of view, I was getting increasingly frustrated by how Tucker was interviewing these kids. I don't believe she has ever heard of the term 'open-ended question' and I felt the kids were not able to fully express their thoughts and feelings because of this.

It really seems like she first considered what she herself would do or feel in that situation (which is a good attempt at empathy, of course) but then formulates her own perspective as the question. This leads to very steering questions with sometimes even value judgment pouring through and makes me wonder if the answer is truthful or a bit pressured by the way of asking.

For instance, (I'm creating a fictional and extreme example here because I want to make clear what I'm talking about and I don't want to use the real answers here in the review) a girl could tell her "and then I remained in my hiding place until everybody left." Tucker would then empathize and maybe think that she would feel guilty about not actively helping her family escape, too. In itself a very valid reaction, but then (in my example scenario, she didn't actually say this literally) she would probably pose her follow-up question like this: "Didn't you feel guilty about not helping your family?" If you're a bit like me you can already feel that the formulation of this question is wrong on so many levels...

But on the other hand, her being a star and influencer and getting, it seems, a good rapport with these children is very valuable indeed. The children seem at ease talking to her and that is also a part of interviewing which she actually does very well.

In the end, I don't know if the connection/rapport compensates for the obvious lack of interviewing skills but it did leave me with an unsatisfying feeling from a more 'technical' point of view...

I think it is an excellent documentary.. Deeply moving. Hard to watch, nevertheless, every person should watch it. Devastating what these children had to go through, beyond words. But they are so brave, strong and resilient, just admirable. Hope they can recover soon, and have a beautiful amazing life, full of love and peace, just as every human being should.

Thank you so much to director, Montana and every person who contributed to make this possible.

May peace increase, pervades and heal every single hart and mind of each and every human being.

May all hostages return home soon.

Bring them home now.

Deeply moving documentary that amplifies the voices of Israeli children who endured the horrors of the October 7 Hamas attack. Through raw, firsthand accounts, the film centers on their harrowing experiences of survival, captivity, and unimaginable loss, including witnessing parental deaths and home invasions, as activist Montana Tucker guides the conversations with empathy and sensitivity. The documentary's power lies in its unfiltered focus on resilience amid trauma, offering a platform for young survivors like Yael Idan and Ella Shani Kozin to recount their stories of hiding, escape, and enduring psychological scars. While the subject matter is undeniably distressing, the film avoids sensationalism, instead prioritizing the humanity and courage of its young subjects. It serves as a critical testament to the human toll of conflict, urging awareness of the ongoing impact on those who lived through the attacks.

A necessary but emotionally demanding watch.