The Road Between Us- #TIFF50 People's choice Documentary

THE ROAD BETWEEN US

Directed by Barry Avrich

Produced by Mark Selby/Barry Avrich

Running Time: 95min

The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue - Documentary Film

Starring: Noam Tibon

This film had almost as much drama attached to it outside of the screening as it did in the movie.

The film was accepted to TIFF- Toronto International Film Festival, but then it was pulled before the start of the festival for what they said was clearance and other issues.  Then it was put back in after the Director had talks with the CEO, Cameron Bailey.  The Director Barry Avrich used to be on TIFF's board and still works with the Festival.  Avrich's company worked on the opening night 50th Anniversary short film that was shown before the World Premiere and Opening Night, where the John Candy Documentary was shown.

The schedule was already set, and from speaking with the Producer Mark Selby, who I know because he also worked at TIFF for a couple of years, they upgraded the screening from 3 screenings in smaller theatres at the Lightbox to one large venue at Roy Thompson Hall.  Because I was at Roy Thompson for many, many years I can tell you that the security there is excellent.  I am sure that played prominently into the decision to have it there.   Also, there wasn't a separate media screening, so they needed a larger venue.  But because most of the schedule was already set, they got a Wednesday afternoon time slot. By that time, most of the international press and tourists had left town.  That also may have played into the decision to decrease the risk of screening the film.

I had to go to the Royal Alex just about the time the film would have ended, and had to pass by Roy Thompson Hall before the film started, so I was there to witness the Protesters on Simcoe Street in front of the theatre.  

I had a feeling that the controversy about pulling the film and the threat of protests would draw more attention to the film than it might have otherwise, and I think I may have been right.  The tickets sold out immediately.  

When chatting with Mark, he said he didn't understand why they were protesting when they hadn't seen the film.  That screening was the World Premiere, so no one had seen it, even the media didn't get to see it prior.

But I was really disappointed to hear the propaganda that they were yelling at the protest.   On a truck that was parked on King Street, it read, NO JEWS ALLOWED.  I have to say this one was very personal to me, and the protest was a waste of the time and money spent on policing the protest.  Could they just not see the film and voice their issues afterward without a protest costing taxpayers money?

With 6 other films about Palestine in the festival and not one protest against them.

Why can't we just listen or watch the films and have a discussion without spewing hate speech.

There have been protests at the festival in the past but this was a new excessive level of hate against a whole religious group.

The film is a documentary about Noem Tibon, who is a retired Israeli General who received a call from his son after the October 7th, 2023, attack in Israel by Hamas.  When he found out the Israeli army wasn't there to save his family he and his wife took it upon themselves to go and save his son and his family.  What would you do in his situation?,

They used the Hamas body cam footage that they had broadcast in line with the description of their experience to show a full timeline of what was happening after the call was received.  I thought it was really well done to show what it really looked like.  It really looked like an apocalypse with all the shot-out cars and bodies all strewn across the road.  Like a Hollywood movie, but this was real, and Tibon had to race against time to get to his family before Hamas did.

Ultimately, this film is about a man with the skills and love to save his family at all costs.

In a bit of Karma and with a lot of support, the film was chosen as the People's Choice Award for Documentary.  Because it won, I was able to get a ticket to the People's Choice screening to see the film.

You will be able to see it in Cineplex theatres starting October 7, 2025.  

I would strongly suggest watching the film before commenting on it.

I think films like this should be shown back-to-back, with the Palestinian perspective and a discussion could be had afterward.

My hope is for all of the hostages to be released, all of the bombings and killings to stop, and for the Palestinians to stop being used as shields and pawns and given aid and safe shelter.

I do not think wars solve any problems; they just create more problems.  

This observation comes from a direct family history of what these atrocities can do to a family.