A moment of Israeli pride: Avi Nesher’s ‘Our Loves’ gets standing ovations in Toronto

Nesher describes his film as the story of  “six people who thought they were having the worst day of their lives on October 6, 2023,” and follows them through the Hamas massacre on October 7.

In an emotional moment at the world premiere on Sunday of Avi Nesher’s Our Loves at the Toronto International Film Festival, the audience gave the film a lengthy standing ovation, which happened again at the second screening on Tuesday.

A third screening is coming up on September 19, and all three screenings sold out.

The Toronto International Film Festival is the largest and most prestigious festival in North America.

Nesher describes his film as the story of  “six people who thought they were having the worst day of their lives on October 6, 2023,” and Our Loves goes on to follow them through the Hamas massacre on October 7. It features a cast of Israel’s top stars, including Shalom Michaelshwilli, Magi Azarar, and Yaniv Biton, with several newcomers, including Daniel Gimpel and Noa Cohen. Biton, Cohen, and Gimpel accompanied Nesher to the screenings and joined him on stage afterward.

Alongside the enthusiastic response in the theater, the film has also received positive reviews and reactions following its Toronto debut, a particularly significant achievement given the current anti-Israel climate, especially since it was the only Israeli movie at Toronto this year, a festival that used to show multiple Israeli films every year.

Early buzz around the film

The movie was the subject of articles in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, two important film industry publications.

“Can you believe it?” Nesher said after the second screening. “Maybe we did, in our own way, initiate the beginning of change. We had a sold-out premiere and also an amazing second screening – a full house again and another standing ovation at the end of the film.”

Our Loves will have its Israeli premiere on September 26, when it will be the opening-night movie at the Haifa International Film Festival, and will open in theaters around the country on October 15. Its release dates around the world will be announced soon.