TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey apologizes for handling of doc about Oct. 7 rescue mission

TORONTO — The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival is apologizing for pulling and then reinstating a film about a retired Israeli general’s rescue mission during the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.

In his first public remarks since the controversy unfolded last week, Cameron Bailey said he was sorry for the “hurt, frustration and disappointment” that their communication caused.

Speaking at a pre-festival event touting homegrown fare, Bailey said he regretted any “mischaracterizations” of the film.

He also said the organization is working now to clarify information and “repair relationships.”

“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” from Montreal native Barry Avrich will screen at the festival on Sept. 10.

The documentary is described on TIFF’s website as a “rescue thriller” in which Avrich combines new interviews with footage from Oct. 7, recounting retired general Noam Tibon’s journey to rescue his son and his family from an attack by Hamas.