Avi Nesher’s ‘Our Loves’ Examines Personal Fallout of Oct. 7 at TIFF

Avi Nesher, an Israeli director with a background as an IDF analyst, premiered his new film “Our Loves” in the Centrepiece program of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. The narrative tracks five characters—Liri, Milly, Nicco, Sapir and others—whose personal struggles are shattered by the Oct. 7 terror attacks, culminating in a brief but measured reenactment of the Nova music festival killings. Nesher insists the movie is not a political or military chronicle but a study of ordinary people caught in extraordinary violence.

The picture also opened the Haifa International Film Festival, secured twelve nominations for Israel’s Ophir Awards, and will be released worldwide by Fox Entertainment. During the interview he discussed the film’s funding, noting it was not directly financed by the Israeli government, and warned that the approaching election could affect how the story is received. He also expressed skepticism about holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration fully accountable, citing past intelligence failures, while emphasizing the need for humanity over partisan blame. Nesher recounted the logistical hurdles of shooting the festival massacre scene and his motivation to portray the human side of the tragedy rather than the perpetrators.