The documentary “October 8,” now playing in St. Louis, explores the surge of antisemitism following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Directed by veteran filmmaker Wendy Sachs, a former “Dateline” producer, the film highlights how it has spread across college campuses, social media and daily life.
With voices like Debra Messing and Sheryl Sandberg, “October 8” offers a stark look at antisemitism’s reach and consequences. The documentary is currently showing at Ronnie’s Cinema and will also screen at the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival on April 6.
A filmmaker’s urgent call to action
For Sachs, the need to document this moment became clear almost immediately.
“We saw the images coming out of Israel—children, babies, grandparents, young people being kidnapped, being live-streamed and murdered,” she told Kveller in a recent interview. “And then, it was October 8, when I saw the protests in Times Square supporting Hamas as freedom fighters rather than as terrorists. That’s when I realized something had changed.”
Sachs calls this project “the most intense journey” of her professional life.
“All I’ve been doing for 17 months now is working on this project,” she said. “I would call this my life’s work. I’ve put everything I have into this film and not to speak for every Jew in the diaspora, but the post-October 7 world has transformed all of us.”
Hollywood’s silence and the film’s impact
Despite its significance, “October 8” has not received broad Hollywood support. Filmmaker Dan Senor explored this issue in a recent episode of his Call Me Back podcast, questioning why major studios and distributors have avoided the film.
Sachs, however, remains focused on the film’s impact beyond the Jewish community.
“I made this film not just for Jewish audiences but for everyone,” she told Kveller. “It was intentionally crafted for a non-Jewish audience to understand what antisemitism looks like today.”
She also wants viewers to recognize the bigger picture.
“How did we get to this moment where Hamas is being celebrated as freedom fighters rather than as terrorists?” Sachs asked. “That’s really what this film ladders up to.”
Bringing the conversation to St. Louis
Ronnie’s Cinema is the only St. Louis theater currently showing “October 8,” and local Jewish leaders are urging the community to see it and support the theater.
Todd Siwak, board chair of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, encouraged fellow board members to watch the film, writing that while it may not present new information, its cohesive storytelling makes a powerful impact.
“Seeing and hearing it all together—rather than in bits and pieces—had an enormous impact on me,” Siwak told the Jewish Light. “It helped me grasp the scale of antisemitism on college campuses and empathize with students facing it firsthand.”
He was also struck by the courage of student activists featured in the film.
“Tessa Veksler from UC-Santa Barbara, Noa Fay from Barnard and Talia Dror from Cornell have stood up to their colleges and anti-Zionists on campus,” he said. “They are impressive and deserve support from Jewish communities everywhere.”
Siwak noted another major takeaway: the silence of human rights organizations.
“The film highlights how groups like the United Nations, UN Women and Amnesty International have said nothing about the rape and sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas,” he said. “That’s incredibly important to understand.”
A talkback with the film’s director
For those who miss its theater run, “October 8″will also screen at the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival on April 6 at B&B Theaters in Creve Coeur. A talkback with the film’s director, Wendy Sachs, will take place immediately after the film.
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