When posters of the Israelis being held captive by Hamas are scattered around New York City, they get torn down by Palestinian sympathizers. Both of these actions are provocative and also symbolic of the war that is being fought 6,000 miles away.
With raw passion driving both sides, this documentary could have practically written itself. But, unfortunately, the filmmaker takes an alternative route. What should have been a fair fight turns into an exercise in propaganda. The promise in the title is never fulfilled.
THE STORY
Nitzan Mintz and Dede Bandaid are Jewish street artists. They design individual posters using photos of the people still being held hostage in Gaza. They cover billboards, lamp-posts and any other available space with their art.
Within hours, the citizens of one of the most diverse cities in the world are picking a side and drawing battle lines.
THE INTRO
The film starts with clips of pro-Israelis filming pro-Palestinians demanding to know why they’re tearing down the posters. Only footage of pro-Palestinians who ignore the question or use the ‘f’‘ word in their response are included in these takes. It would be smart sub-text if it was remotely believable that this group of people are invariably rude and always use foul language. But, of course, it’s not.
This scenario also sets up the principle that if a stranger shoves a phone in your face and questions your behavior, you have to explain yourself. Fortunately, that only happens in police states. It’s called oppression.
TWO SIDES OF THE STORY?
Most of the interviewees in this film are of the Jewish faith. There’s a rabbi; a writer; an activist and some relatives of the hostages. Another two have job titles that deem them neutral. However, when one states that it’s only pro-Palestinians who are deciding what people should see, impartiality is left dead in the water.
The two pro-Palestinians who are briefly interviewed are the unwitting victims of viral campaigns. They were filmed ripping down posters and their identities were subsequently blasted all over social media. The outcry resulted in one, a dentist, losing his job and the other, a medical student, being suspended. This undoubtedly makes them accountable, but for what? The punishments wildly outweigh the deed. They simply took down a poster off a wall. This ‘telling on you‘ mindset also does nothing for Israeli’s standing. They’re unquestionably warriors of the world and implicating themselves in something with such an unsavory whiff is demeaning.
THE CONCLUSION
The pro-Palestinian doctrine is barely given air in this documentary. One sentence narratives are left hanging and not deemed worthy of a response. But despite this, the film’s Director states that, “I’ve always believed in storytelling as a tool for bridging divides and provoking honest conversation.”
If there was any honesty in this film, I’m afraid it passed me by.
Theatrical Release: Friday, September 5, 2025 (NYC and LA)
Director & Producer: Nim Shapira
Executive Producers: Nim Shapira, Elad Schanin, Yarin Cerf, Yuval Lion
Script: Nim Shapira and Shay Mizrahy
Featured Participants
Rabbi Yehuda Sarna
Alana Zeitchik
Liam Zeitchik
Nitzan Mintz
Dede Bandaid
Nina Mogilnik
MEDIA CONTACT
Adam J. Segal – The 2050 Group
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Hemdale Films
(818) 481-5277 |
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
Nim Shapira is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York. His work has screened at Tribeca Film Festival, TED, SIGGRAPH, Slamdance and exhibited in Cannes’ Marché du Film, and Venice Biennale’s College Cinema. A former fellow at MIT’s Open Documentary Lab, and the NEWMUSEUM’s NEWINC,
SYNOPSIS
TORN explores the controversy surrounding the “KIDNAPPED” poster campaign—a grassroots initiative to raise awareness about hostages taken by Hamas on October 7. These posters quickly became polarizing symbols, sparking passionate and sometimes violent confrontations between activists on both sides. Through intimate testimonies and street-level footage, the film unpacks the deeper ideological battles unfolding far from the actual war zone, revealing the emotional and political ruptures within one of the world’s most diverse cities
