The 2026 Ajijic Jewish Film Festival opens at the Cinema +Lago at Plaza Bugambilas in Ajijic on Sunday, January 4, at 1:30 p.m.
The opening film and absolute highlight of the 2026 festival is the Canadian documentary, “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” winner of the People’s Choice Award, Documentary at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The film depicts the true-life experience of retired Israeli general Noam Tibon as he and his wife Gali Mir-Tibon undertake the daring rescue of their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren from Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023.
A cellphone call from their son Amir to tell his father that the Kibbutz was under attack spurs Noam and Gali to start driving from their home in Tel Aviv, but only after the general and abba (father) advises his son to immediately move his family, wife Miri and their young daughters Galia and Carmel to the Merkav Mugan (safe room) of their home on the Kibbutz.
Amir followed his father’s advice, a decision that ultimately saved their lives from the Hamas onslaught.
With Gali at the wheel so that the general could use his cellphone in what turned out to be frustratingly vain attempts to contact and alert his many friends in the Israeli military, they raced the short 43 miles towards the Gaza border.
Their adventure is only part of the film’s story.
Brilliantly interspersed throughout his “thriller documentary” (so described by director Barry Avrich) are commentaries by the late Edward R. Murrow, scenes from kibbutz security cameras, interviews with General Tibon, Gali, Amir and Miri, and other survivors of the attacks and spouses of victims. There is also actual footage from Hamas bodycams, the use of which allegedly spurred a controversy at TIFF, where the film was first “pulled” by the organizers, and then restored a day later following massive protest.
Directed by Barry Avrich, Canada, 2025. Runtime: 1 hr 35 minutes.
Following the showing, viewers are invited to remain for a talk-back discussion of the film, moderated by Rosalie Shapiro.
Season tickets for the Jewish Film Festival will continue to be available at Diane Pearl Gallery in Riberas del Pilar and at the theater from 12:30 p.m. on the day of each performance.