Watch “There Is Another Way” Now: Review & Streaming Details

On October 7, 2023, an assault by Hamas on Israel resulted in the deaths of over 2,500 Israelis, along with the abduction of 250 individuals. This incident triggered a large-scale retaliation in Gaza, increasingly characterized as a genocide. The Israel-Palestine conflict remains a sensitive and contentious aspect of global politics, making it a challenging subject for filmmakers to approach in a universally agreeable manner.

In his documentary “There Is Another Way,” Stephen Apkon attempts to present this complex issue. The title itself reflects its aims, but its effectiveness perhaps rests on the interpretation of the audience. As often happens with such nonfiction narratives, those who might gain the most insight may be deterred by its intentions.

This documentary is clearly designed as an educational and healing resource targeting a broad audience, irrespective of political perspectives. Some stylistic choices may frustrate viewers, like the decision to withhold the identities of speakers until the concluding segment, which features a joint memorial for Israelis and Palestinians who have perished since 2023, organized by Combatants for Peace and The Parents Circle-Family Forum. The film runs just over an hour, which might categorically position “There Is Another Way” as a lengthy short film or a brief feature, particularly based on submission criteria for awards. Among the 152 names in the “Thank You” credits is this publisher’s, Chaz Ebert, alongside actor Stephen Lang. The initial half notably avoids detailing that the number of Palestinian casualties from the retaliation now surpasses the initial attack by over tenfold (over 30,000 Palestinians had died when the film’s final cut was completed, a figure that has continued to rise).

The film’s focus broadens and deepens in its latter segment, showcasing unsettling visuals of Israeli settlers taking land from Palestinians rendered homeless by the retaliatory strikes, alongside IDF soldiers posing for cameras against the backdrop of Gaza being devastated. This part may be particularly tough for viewers sensitive to graphic depictions of real violence and heartfelt testimonies from Israelis and Palestinians who recount the emotional toll of their losses.

The central thread unifying the film emerges through its grim subject matter, carrying a hopeful message: change is possible. Survivors from both communities engage with filmmakers, expressing their grief while striving to translate their anguish into constructive actions. They portray one of the most harrowing modern geopolitical conflicts as a consequence of societies ensnared in collective insanity resistant to logic. A chilling moment features an Israeli woman at a pro-war rally, fervently declaring, “We’re going to kill you all! All! All! One by One! F—-g Muslims!”

Yonatan Zeigen, whose mother Vivian Silver, a peace advocate, was killed by Hamas on October 7, represents one interviewee who channels his trauma into peace activism rather than supporting violent retaliation. He states, “Both soldiers and armed Palestinian fighters are victims,” while Combatants of Peace activist Ahmed Al-Helou asserts, “The real conflict is not between Palestinians and Israelis; it’s between those committing evil and those seeking justice.” This is depicted through the documentary’s imagery of deceased individuals, survivors presenting their injuries, bombed neighborhoods, grieving Israeli families, and Palestinians fleeing violent attacks or rushing towards scarce food supplies dropped from the air. Notably, U.S. military support for Israel is not addressed, likely to prevent alienating viewers with strong preconceived notions. The credits do mention, however, that since the fall of 2023, the U.S. has allocated $30 billion for military aid to Israel and $1 billion for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Israeli Michal Halev, who lost her son Laor Abramov to Hamas, shares her horror at receiving messages from fellow Israelis that express condolences alongside vows to kill Palestinians in retaliation for her loss, including one message featuring a missile photograph inscribed with her son’s name. “Nothing prepares you for the pain of losing a child,” she reflects. “My purpose in life has become to find ways to help heal our wounded humanity.”

A particularly haunting scene from the documentary shows a makeshift graveyard in Gaza, where markers have been created from whatever materials people could salvage from destroyed homes. It raises the question: does it still exist today, or has it been destroyed by continued bombings?

“In this war, there are no true victims,” Halev concludes towards the film’s end. “We have all already suffered losses.”

View the film online today, June 12. It is set for limited release in July.