After Liat Beinin Atzili is kidnapped on October 7th, her Israeli-American family faces their own conflicting perspectives to fight for her release and the future of the places they call home.
On the morning of October 7, 2023, Israeli-American Liat Atzili and her husband Aviv were at home when Hamas attacked their kibbutz. By nightfall, Liat and Aviv are captives in Gaza along with 250 other people - 12 of whom, like Liat, are American citizens. Caught between international diplomacy and a rapidly escalating war, their family must face their own uncertainty and conflicting perspectives in the pursuit of Liat and Aviv's release. This agonizing process, and the ultimate fate of their loved ones, challenges how the members of the family understand themselves and their place in the conflict. Through the intimate lens of a family's experience, HOLDING LIAT poses complex questions of identity across generations, as the family is thrust into the epicenter of a global conflict rapidly unfolding in real-time. An independent production of Protozoa (BLACK SWAN) and Meridian Hill Pictures (THE FIRST STEP). — Meridian Hill Pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
Who appears in Holding Liat?
Who directed and produced the documentary?
What is the documentary about?
When and where was the film released?
Has Holding Liat received any awards or recognition?
Has the documentary been submitted for major awards or international recognition?
What themes does the film explore?
Fun Facts
The film opens exclusively at NYC’s Film Forum on January 9, 2026; no other U.S. screen is booked until AFI Silver (Feb 6) and Laemmle Glendale (Jan 16)—so Manhattan gets a seven-day monopoly on the first-run print.
When Liat spontaneously invited the crew to dance at Aviv’s funeral, director Brandon Kramer re-opened the camera case and captured the entire one-take circle-dance that closes the film—no extra lighting, no second take, just real-time grief turning into motion.