Aviv Nesher's New Film 'Our Loves' Explores Human Spirit Post-October 7
Israeli director Aviv Nesher has premiered his 22nd feature film, "Our Loves," at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film had its world premiere on Sunday, September 13, in the Centerpiece section. It is set to open the Haifa International Film Festival on September 26 and will be released in Israeli cinemas on October 15.
"Our Loves" focuses on ordinary Israelis whose lives were profoundly impacted by the events of October 7. However, Nesher deliberately avoided reconstructing the massacre. "This is not a film about October 7. It is about the human spirit, especially the Israeli spirit, which ultimately prevails," Nesher stated in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. He emphasized that after a catastrophe, individuals have a choice: succumb to tragedy or actively seek change and ask, "What do we do now? What do we change?"
Nesher, a veteran of the Yom Kippur War who previously served in Sayeret Matkal, experienced October 7 at home and described being "horrified." The inspiration for the film came from an encounter with residents of a kibbutz destroyed during the attack. While staying at a hotel near the Dead Sea, they asked Nesher to bring them his previous film, "The Monkey House." One resident shared, "This is my last memory of myself as a living person. When I was just living my life and going to the movies." After the screening, the audience reportedly laughed and applauded.
Nesher also learned about a couple who met amidst the October 7 attacks. The man was seeking shelter from shelling when a woman opened a protected room, a 'mamad,' to him, leading to their falling in love. "Can you imagine, amidst all this horror and blood?" Nesher remarked. This encounter prompted Nesher to look for more than just pain within the tragedy. He gathered stories from individuals facing personal, romantic, and religious challenges, adhering strictly to their accounts without invention.
"It is easier to be a hero than a human being," Nesher commented, adding that the film's core message is simple: "Life is a great gift, and I am here." Nesher also affirmed his commitment to Israel, stating, "We are not going anywhere. We will not leave," despite having had the option to work in Hollywood.
