‘Holding Liat’ Review: A Hostage Documentary Confronts the Limits of Empathy

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The struggle between recognizing and deeply accepting lies at the core of Brandon Kramer’s documentary, focusing on his elderly relative Yehuda Beinin grappling with his daughter Liat’s October 7 abduction. This documentary sets up various political boundaries through careful observation to evoke emotions, and it sometimes succeeds in doing so. However, because of its challenging topic, the effectiveness may differ for each viewer.

The film “Holding Liat,” which won the Documentary Award at the Berlin Film Festival, doesn’t quite match the impact or revelation of last year’s winner (“No Other Land,” a West Bank land-grab exposé that is now an Academy Award nominee). Nevertheless, it delves into its role as a depiction of an Israeli hostage family, one of two such films in this year’s selection (the other being “A Letter to David”). In contrast to the latter, “Holding Liat” shows a deeper understanding of the political dynamics involved, and how such pain can be exploited. Kramer, in particular, explores this by addressing the manipulation of hostage families’ suffering.

Yehuda gradually acknowledges and addresses this reality during his trip to the US. In conversations with various senators, he raises concerns about Netanyahu’s bombing campaigns and the treatment of Palestinians held by the IDF. However, his position is complex, as his family members point out, creating a sense of cognitive dissonance. This tension provides an engaging aesthetic quality to the film, though the ethical value may vary based on one’s political stance. The filmmaking style, characterized by minimal interviews and a focus on capturing raw, spontaneous moments with a handheld camera, aims to present an authentic and sensitive portrayal of this reality while also providing context. However, the film seems to lack a clear emphasis or definitive statement, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions about the various perspectives it presents. This approach is inherent to the film’s production: Kramer rarely interviews his subjects, preferring instead to record a delicate and intimate unfolding of reality as it happens.

In one aspect, Liat’s teenage son, deeply affected by the events of October 7th, seeks vengeance. Contrarily, Yehuda navigates a delicate ethical path, serving as a piece in a larger political game that seems destined for war, while maintaining his pacifist ideals and seeking justice for individual wrongdoers rather than the broader systems involved. His face serves as a powerful backdrop for the movie’s emotional tension. Liat’s abduction (alongside her husband) appears to have left Yehuda in a state of immobility, unable to find a solution beyond vague calls for “peace” in general terms.

In a logical predicament, considering the intense agony he’s experiencing, yet his efforts to persuade American politicians to soften war strategies encounter an emotional wall when he encounters a Palestinian representative in Washington D.C. for the first time. They find shared ground as they whisper, mindful not to let Yehuda’s escorts overhear. However, Yehuda experiences a complex epiphany of recognition with this individual – a realization of shared grief, and an understanding of their shared pain stemming from his daughter’s abduction during the Al-Aqsa Flood incident.

In this movie, the plot takes an engaging turn, causing Yehuda to feel like he’s been hit by a sudden whirlwind. The shift from theoretical discussions to direct confrontations is almost overwhelming for him, pushing his compassion to its breaking point as the bereaved father grapples with his emotions. At this crucial moment, Kramer decides to broaden his camera’s scope, capturing not just various protests against the U.S. administration but also a diverse range of opinions and methods within Yehuda’s own family. Among these perspectives, Yehuda’s brother Joel, an expert on Middle Eastern history who has lived away from Israel for a long time, voices his support for Gaza at a conference. Notably, several attendees at this event don traditional Jewish yarmulkes and Palestinian keffiyehs.

Despite having a limited screen time, Joel’s character significantly shapes “Holding Liat” by acknowledging the controversial origins of the Kibbutz where he resided, which was built on land taken from others. As a relative and history enthusiast, I can relate to Joel’s internal struggle between emotional loyalties. His disagreements with Yehuda about potential solutions escalate to the point that Yehuda seems to distance himself. Yehuda, understandably, has his own limits when it comes to accepting broader responsibility and showing compassion as he works tirelessly for his daughter’s freedom.

The emotional standoff is crucial to the movie’s structure, as it limits Kramer’s ability to closely examine this impasse without affecting the main plot. Yet, the camera’s detached stance proves essential. The visual style mirrors the Beinin family’s loss of control and their increasing confusion about their situation and beliefs. For example, the unexpected details of Liat’s capture challenge the stories of barbarism that have been presented. At one point, Liat’s background as a historian even takes center stage, albeit briefly, due to a character nearly realizing how the Holocaust can be twisted to justify additional acts of cruelty.

The movie “Holding Liat” acknowledges the significant barrier posed by ignoring the broader historical context of Palestinian oppression that predates October 7th. While it may not fully address this issue, it at least recognizes its existence. The film’s portrayal of the challenges in confronting this issue from within Israel’s borders adds emotional depth, even if its exploration of personal and political compartmentalization is limited.

The subject matter restricts the movie to a certain extent, preventing it from offering a more complex and comprehensive view of its characters and their world. Nevertheless, as a piece intended to convey a prickly perspective, it does a fairly good job of embodying that thorniness.

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2025-02-24 10:16