"I embraced this compromise wholeheartedly, willing to forgo the label of 'terrorist organization' for Hamas," Yariv Mozer, director of the poignant documentary 'We Will Dance Again,' which delves into the Nova festival tragedy, revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday. The revelation stemmed from an agreement he had to strike with the BBC for the film's airing, a concession that echoed the depths of his commitment to the truth.
Scheduled to air today on the BBC, this gripping documentary, commissioned by BBC Storyville, unveils previously unseen footage of Hamas' brutal massacre that unfolded during the festival on October 7th. Mozer's solemn words resonated with a sense of purpose: "I deemed it a worthy sacrifice, ensuring that the British public bears witness to these atrocities and decides for themselves whether Hamas constitutes a terrorist entity."
Amidst allegations of anti-Israel bias swirling around the BBC since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict, including the recent uproar sparked by Trevor Asserson's report highlighting over 1,500 instances of editorial guideline breaches, Mozer's stance stands as a beacon of objectivity. Despite offers to various US streaming platforms, the film struggled to find a home due to the political undertones it inevitably carried, though Mozer insisted, "This isn't a political film; it's a tale told through the lenses of survivors and Hamas alike, presenting a singular, unvarnished truth."
Discussing the film's content and the delicate balance between graphic violence and narrative impact, Mozer shared, "I yearned to preserve as much as feasible, to capture the sheer magnitude of the attack and the appalling cruelty inflicted upon those who were defenseless. A ruthless, fundamentalist force sought to dismantle the very fabric of Western values, while innocent youth, gathered at a music festival to celebrate life, love, and peace, found themselves face to face with the epitome of horror, a group that glorifies death."
'We Will Dance Again' meticulously reconstructs every minute of the fateful day, commencing with the lead-up to the attack that struck at 6:30 a.m. on October 7th, Saturday. Through a meticulous blend of testimonies, surveillance videos, CCTV footage, Hamas' own live-streamed GoPro recordings, and harrowing phone and dashcam videos, the documentary immerses viewers in the harrowing six-hour ordeal as people desperately sought refuge or escape from the terrorists' grasp.
