Holding Liat

Holding Liat
Promotional film poster
Directed byBrandon Kramer
Produced by
Starring
  • Liat Beinin Atzili
  • Yehuda Beinin
Cinematography
  • Yoni Brook
  • Omer Manor
Edited byJeff Gilbert
Music byJordan Dykstra
Production
companies
Distributed byMeridian Hill Pictures
Release dates
  • February 16, 2025 (2025-02-16) (Berlinale)
  • January 9, 2026 (2026-01-09) (United States)
Running time
97 minutes[3]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • Hebrew
Box office$49,299[4]

Holding Liat is a 2025 American documentary film, directed by Brandon Kramer. Produced by Darren Aronofsky under his Protozoa Pictures banner. It follows Liat Beinin Atzili family reaction after she and her husband were kidnapped from their home in a kibbutz near Gaza border during the October 7 attacks.[5]

The film had its world premiere at the Forum section of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2025, where it won the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.

Plot

During the October 7 attacks Liat Beinin Atzili and her husband Aviv Atzili were kidnapped from their home in a kibbutz near the border. Liat parents, Yehuda and Chaya Beinin, deal with the fear of their daughter's fate. Alongside many other relatives dissatisfied with Benjamin Netanyahu's government disregard of the hostages, Yehuda intensifies his public campaign against the Gaza war, and the inevitability of casualties among the hostages.

Yehuda travels alongside Tal, his youngest daughter, to the United States hoping to gather support against the Israeli government inaction, yet he finds that American politicians unconditional support for Israel is also reflected upon Netanyahu. In Portland, ceasefire demonstrations take place and American academic and historian Joel Beinin, Yehuda's brother, gives a lecture about the Nakba. Through video chat, the brothers' old disagreement over the basic principles of the state of Israel is revealed, as Joel argues that the Kibbutzniks' original socialist ideals were coopted by a colonialist agenda.

Blood found in the Kibbutz is confirmed to be from Aviv, but the IDF still don't know the whereabouts of his body. The kibbutz members mourns their losses, but a feeling of outrage still grips Israeli society. As the first ceasefire is announced, relatives await the final list of released hostages. Tal express her dissatisfaction with the Israeli and American position in a public meeting about the ceasefire. Liat is ultimately released by Hamas. Yehuda and Chaya receive a call from American President Joe Biden, to whom they express gratitude.

Liat reunites with her parents at the hospital, whereupon she realizes something bad must have happened to Aviv. At his funeral, Liat gives a speech and the family dance in his memory. Returning to her kibbutz, she watches through TV the ceasefire demonstrations in Tel Aviv. Three months later, in a Holocaust memorial, Liat talks about the ongoing war and the Palestinian lives on the "other side of the fence".

Cast

  • Yehuda Beinin
  • Liat Beinin Atzili
  • Chaya Beinin
  • Tal Beinin
  • Joel Beinin
  • Netta Atzili
  • Ofri Atzili
  • Aviv Atzili (archival footage)
  • Aya Atzili

Production

Liat Atzili meets US President Joe Biden in July 2024.

Brandon Kramer, a distant relative, began documenting following the kidnapping of Liat Beinin Atzili, as her father Yehuda Beinin traveled to the United States to advocate for her release.[6] Production additionally took place in Israel, as Beinin reached out to more people to help, expressing disdain for the Israeli government.[7][8]

Release

The film had its World Premiere at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on February 16, 2025, where it won the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.[9][10] Soon after, it had its North American Premiere at Tribeca Festival on June 9, 2025.[11][12]

The film was first released theatrically by MetFilm in the United Kingdom on September 12, 2025. It is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States in January 2026, beginning with New York's Film Forum.[13][14][15] In Israel, the theatrical run will be coordinated by Rotem Heyman followed by a television premiere on Yes.[15]

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 95% rating based on 22 critics' reviews.[16]

Accolades

Award Date Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Berlin International Film Festival February 22, 2025 Berlinale Documentary Film Award Holding Liat Won [17]
Hamptons International Film Festival November 7, 2025 Brizzola Family Foundation Award for Films of Conflict & Resoltuion Won [18]

References

  1. ^ Adlakha, Siddhant (2025-02-24). "'Holding Liat' Review: A Hostage Documentary Confronts the Limits of Empathy". Variety. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  2. ^ "Within Days of Oct. 7, This Israeli Hostage's Father 'Called Out Bibi's Bluff'". Haaretz. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Holding Liat (15)". British Board of Film Classification. August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  4. ^ "Holding Liat". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  5. ^ Carey, Matthew (February 14, 2025). "'Holding Liat' First Look: Berlin Film Festival World Premiere Documents Family Of Hostage Seized By Hamas On October 7". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  6. ^ MacNab, Geoffrey (February 16, 2025). "Berlinale Forum: Holding Liat by Brandon Kramer". Business Doc Europe. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  7. ^ Brown, Hannah (February 23, 2025). "'Holding Liat': A gripping look at an Israeli family's hostage crisis". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  8. ^ Holdsworth, Nick (February 18, 2025). "Holding Liat". Modern Times Review. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  9. ^ Dalton, Ben; Dams, Tim (January 16, 2025). "Berlinale reveals Special, Panorama, Generation and Forum titles". Screen International. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  10. ^ Roxborough, Scott (February 22, 2025). "Norwegian Queer Love Story 'Dreams' Wins 75th Berlin Film Festival (Full Winners List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  11. ^ "Holding Liat". Tribeca Festival. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  12. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (April 16, 2025). "Tribeca Festival Unveils 2025 Film Lineup With Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Bryan Cranston & 'How To Train Your Dragon'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
  13. ^ "Past, Present and Future Releases: September 2025". Film Distributors’ Association. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  14. ^ Morfoot, Addie (2025-10-17). "Israeli Hostage Survivor and Subject of Doc 'Holding Liat' on Recent Hostage Release: 'After a War of This Scale We Can't Have Things Go Back to What They Were'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  15. ^ a b Wiseman, Andreas (2025-08-29). "Darren Aronofsky-Produced Berlin Winner 'Holding Liat', About Gaza War & Israeli-American Hostage, Sets U.S. & International Release Plan; Watch Trailer". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
  16. ^ "Holding Liat | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
  17. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (February 22, 2025). "'Dreams (Sex Love)' Wins Berlinale Golden Bear: See the Full List". IndieWire. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  18. ^ "HIFF33: Awards Announced!". Hamptons International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-11-07.
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