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🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

DocuText film ‘Safe Room’ tells moving account of how strangers transformed into family on Oct. 7

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A documentary titled 'Safe Room' tells the story of strangers who formed a family bond while sheltering together during the October 7 Hamas attack.
  • Director Haley Geffen chose this intimate story to highlight ordinary people and encourage empathy, rather than focusing on larger, well-known events.
  • The film will be screened at the DocuText Festival in Israel, with some survivors and the director participating in Q&A sessions.

The documentary 'Safe Room' offers a deeply human perspective on the October 7 attacks, focusing on the unexpected bonds formed between strangers seeking refuge. Director Haley Geffen intentionally selected this smaller, intimate story to resonate with audiences on a personal level, believing that relatable narratives can foster empathy and understanding.

What struck me was that it wasn’t a huge story. It was a very small story. But it represented what happened that day in a deeply human way.

— Haley GeffenThe director of 'Safe Room' explains her choice to focus on a smaller, personal story to convey the impact of the October 7 attacks.

"What struck me was that it wasn’t a huge story. It was a very small story. But it represented what happened that day in a deeply human way," Geffen explained. She felt that by showcasing ordinary people, she could encourage viewers to "simply love a person because he’s a person, not because he’s Jewish or Israeli."

The film centers on the experience of survivors who found shelter in the safe room of Dr. Gedalya Fendel and his family in Moshav Shuva, near the Gaza border. Fendel had established a makeshift field hospital and directed survivors to his home for safety. Among those who found refuge were a pregnant woman terrified for her unborn child and a couple who had endured 13 hours hiding in their home. Two young children, who had witnessed the murder of their parents, were also brought to the safe room and received comfort and counseling.

But I kept coming back to this one because these are ordinary people…If I could get audiences to watch a story about someone who feels like them – someone completely relatable – then maybe they could set aside their biases. Maybe they could simply love a person because he’s a person, not because he’s Jewish or Israeli.

— Haley GeffenGeffen discusses her motivation for choosing this particular narrative to promote empathy and understanding.

'Safe Room' is set to be shown at the National Library of Israel as part of the DocuText Festival. Geffen, along with interviewees Merav Fendel and Dr. Tamar Schlesinger, will participate in a Q&A session following the screening, offering further insight into the film's creation and the experiences it portrays.

There are countless horrific October 7 stories. As I prepared the film, I kept wondering whether I should tell one of the bigger ones... one of the well-known stories.

— Haley GeffenThe director reflects on the challenge of selecting a story amidst numerous tragic accounts from the October 7 attacks.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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