As a US citizen, Yehuda flies to the USA, accompanied by Liat’s son and her sister, who will try to cushion Yehuda’s temper and anger. Because even within this family views are polarised: despite his pain, the father takes a critical view of Israel’s role in the Middle East conflict. He is a pacifist and will not be dissuaded from the path of reconciliation, even at the geopolitical epicentre of diplomacy and trauma. He persistently swims against the tide, takes issue with himself and everyone else and berates the Israeli government. A candid film of the hour. Insights don’t come from politics, but from Liat’s family. (Berlinale Forum: Christiane Büchner, Barbara Wurm)
“Emotionally rich, politically thought-provoking… intimate, empathetic… This timely film should find receptive audiences everywhere, and help bring nuance and understanding to a continuing crisis. This profoundly revealing documentary is structured and edited in such a way as to emphasise narrative clarity and the emotional content of its family portraiture.” Jonathan Romney - Screen International (UK)
“Politically potent and emotionally gripping… a lucid portrait… Brandon Kramer does an impressive job revealing the personal and geopolitical aspects of a heartbreaking true story…Kramer’s movie certainly merits attention." Jordan Mintzer - The Hollywood Reporter (US)
Brandon Kramer is a Washington, DC-based filmmaker and co-founder of Meridian Hill Pictures with his brother Lance. Brandon directed The First Step (Tribeca, AFI DOCS); City of Trees (Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, PBS, Netflix); and the Webby Award-winning independent documentary series The Messy Truth (CNN). Brandon is a Film Independent Fellow, a DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities Fellow, a regular collaborator with Kartemquin Films, and a teacher for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Brandon holds a BA in film and cultural anthropology from Boston University.
HOLDING LIAT
USA 2025. Length: 97 Min. Original language: English, Hebrew. Language Versions: Original version with English or German subtitles
Director Brandon Kramer. Cinematography Yoni Brook, Omer Manor. Editing Jeff Gilbert. Music Jordan Dykstra. Sound Design Tristan Baylis. Sound Jim Choi. Producers Darren Aronofsky, Lance Kramer, Yoni Brook, Ari Handel, Justin A. Gonçalves. Executive Producers Elliott Joseph, Janine Frier, Alexandra Shiva. Co-Producer Hilla Medalia. Production companies Meridian Hill Pictures (Washington, DC, USA), Protozoa Pictures (New York, USA). With Yehuda Beinin, Liat Beinin Atzili, Chaya Beinin, Tal Beinin.
