Jordan Hoffman reviews post-Oct. 7 hostage documentary 'Holding Liat'

Jan 17, 2026

Jordan Hoffman, a film critic for The Times of Israel, joins to discuss the poignant documentary 'Holding Liat,' which follows an Israeli-American family's struggle to recover loved ones taken hostage by Hamas. They explore the generational perspectives on October 7's aftermath, Yehuda's peacenik legacy, and the emotional toll of hope and grief. Jordan highlights the film's nuanced portrayal of family dynamics and political advocacy, while also critiquing its editing choices and the polarized audience reactions it has sparked.

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INSIGHT

Tri-Generational Micro Study

Holding Liat is a tri-generational micro-study of October 7's impact on one Israeli-American family.
The film emphasizes nuance by showing different generational perspectives rather than a single narrative.

ANECDOTE

Yehuda's Peacenik Persona

Yehuda Benin is portrayed as a 1970s peacenik who emigrated to Israel and remains fiercely critical of Netanyahu.
His activism and grief drive his public confrontations and political rhetoric.

INSIGHT

Not Representative Of All Israelis

The film represents the Benin family and a small Israeli peacenik minority, not mainstream Israeli opinion.
Viewers should not assume it reflects majority Israeli perspectives.

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Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

The "Schmoovie" of the week is "Holding Liat," a remarkable documentary that charts the struggle of one Israeli-American family to return its loved ones who were taken hostage to Gaza during the Hamas murderous onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Short-listed for an Oscar for Best Documentary, "Holding Liat" is now playing at art theaters, including in New York and Los Angeles.

Produced by Hollywood filmmaker Darren Aronofsky and created by brothers Brandon and Lance Kramer, we learn in the film that during the siege on Kibbutz Nir Oz, educator Liat Beinin Atzili and her husband, artist and mechanic Aviv Atzili, were separately captured by the Hamas gunmen.

The film follows American-born couple Yehuda and Chaya Beinin, kibbutznikim who immigrated to Israel in the 1970s, their daughter Tal, who emigrated from Israel to Portland a decade ago, and their grandchildren, primarily Netta, who barely survived the rampage at Nir Oz.

The filmmakers, cousins to the Beinin family, begin charting their relatives two weeks after the couple's capture. Through updates from the IDF, we understand that there are disturbing findings related to Aviv, but that Liat is thought to be relatively secure.

Yehuda, Tal and Netta journey to Washington, DC, to attempt to sway US politicians' hearts and minds to fight for their cause, but quickly see how each generation frames the conflict and its potential resolution.

Upon the joyous return of Liat during the 2023 temporary truce that saw 97 hostages freed, we learn that Aviv was slaughtered by the terrorists. However, Liat resumes her activism, pushing for a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict.

Hear the conflicted reactions the intense, but nuanced film evokes in this week's The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

Image: Still from 'Holding Liat' (courtesy)

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