Amy Schumer, Howie Mandel and Debra Messing are among more than 1,000 entertainment figures who have signed an open letter condemning the Toronto International Film Festival for its handling of a film about the Hamas attacks in Israel.
The letter comes after TIFF had said it would pull “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue" from its lineup, sparking a public outcry over the decision, which the festival subsequently reversed.
In a joint statement Thursday, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey and director Barry Avrich said they had reached a resolution and that the doc will screen at next month's festival.
The petition, released by the L.A.-based Creative Community For Peace, accuses TIFF of “appeasing anti-Israel and antisemitic activists’ intent to silence Jewish voices” by disinviting the film.
The letter says that while the film has been reinstated, the festival “has not offered a sincere apology or explanation for the harm it created for the Jewish community.”
TIFF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The petition also calls on TIFF’s board of directors to question the organization's leadership, to platform Israeli voices and “to choose dialogue over exclusion.”
The film follows retired Israeli general Noam Tibon’s mission to rescue his family during the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were taken.
Canadian signees of the petition include filmmaker Caitlin Cronenberg and producer Martin Katz, while U.S. actors on the letter include Jerry O’Connell, Mayim Bialik and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Earlier this week, festival organizers said they had pulled the documentary over unmet requirements related to security concerns and the “legal clearance of all footage.”
The move sparked an international backlash, drawing criticism from some Jewish groups and politicians, while the filmmakers accused the festival of censorship.
TIFF backtracked Wednesday, announcing it would work with the documentary team to find a way to screen the film.
On Thursday, Bailey and Avrich released a joint statement saying they had reached a resolution after hearing “pain and frustration” from the public.
They said they ironed out “important safety, legal and programming concerns” around the film.
“We have worked together to find a resolution to satisfy important safety, legal, and programming concerns,” the statement said.
TIFF runs Sept. 4 to 14.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2025.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
