‘The Road Between Us’ Oct. 7 film wins TIFF documentary People’s Choice Award

By Canadian Press on September 14, 2025.

TORONTO — A controversial documentary about a retired Israeli general’s rescue mission on Oct. 7 has won the People’s Choice Award for best documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” directed by Barry Avrich, drew competing pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests outside its single screening this week.

The list of winners was emailed out on Sunday morning.

The film chronicles retired Israeli general Noam Tibon’s effort to rescue his family during the 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, when 1,200 people were killed and 251 abducted.

Some pro-Palestinian demonstrators called the documentary “Israeli propaganda,” though they hadn’t seen it.

Meanwhile, the general People’s Choice Award — long considered a bellwether for the Oscars — went to “Hamnet,” Chloe Zhao’s Shakespeare origin story starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley.

“Frankenstein,” directed by Guillermo del Toro, was named first runner-up, while Rian Johnson’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” was second runner-up for the coveted prize.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2025.

Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press