The new documentary film “Holding Liat,” directed by Brandon Kramer, won the annual film festival Berlinale's Documentary Award and the Ecumenical Jury Prize on Saturday.
The American film follows Liat Atzili, a civics and history teacher kidnapped to Gaza on October 7 and returned to Israel in the first hostage deal about two months later, only to learn that her husband, Aviv, was murdered by Hamas terrorists.
The documentary focuses on her personal story and recovery process alongside her father, Yehuda Benin, as they struggle with the trauma and attempt to restore their faith in humanity and their vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace.
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The film was directed and produced by brothers Brandon and Lance Kramer, distant cousins of Atzili. In an interview with Ynet, they said filming began within two weeks of the October 7 attack.
The documentary also follows Atzili’s parents, Yehuda and Chaya Benin, in their efforts to secure her release. Much of the film was shot in the U.S., where the parents were born and intimately documents Yehuda Benin’s meetings with U.S. lawmakers and other influential figures.