Screams Before Silence

Screams Before Silence
Promotional poster
Hebrew	זעקות ואז שתיקה
Directed by	Anat Stalinsky
Cinematography	Shahar Reznik Nir Maman
Edited by	Tal Hake Shimon Spektor Nadav Tamir
Music by	Roy Nassee
Release date	April 26, 2024 (2024-04-26) (YouTube)
Country	Israel
Language	Hebrew

Screams Before Silence is a documentary film led by American businesswoman Sheryl Sandberg, that explores the sexual violence by Hamas during the Hamas-led attack on Israel, on 7 October 2023, including events at the massacre at the Nova Festival and abductions to the Gaza Strip.^[1] The film was released for free on YouTube^[2][3] on 26 April 2024.^[4] Sandberg has described the film as the most important work of her life.^[5]

Production

Amit Soussana's mother waiting for her return

The film was directed by Anat Stalinsky with cinematographer Sasha Gavrikov^[3] and led by Sheryl Sandberg. Shooting took place in February 2024. One of the participants in the film is Amit Soussana^[6] who was abducted to Gaza and freed in the hostage release deal in November 2023. She described the sexual assault she experienced while being held by Hamas.^[7] Additionally, the film includes testimonies by members of ZAKA and other witnesses about rape and sexual assaults during the massacre at the Nova Festival and in other places in Israel where the attack took place.^[8][9]

Release

On 5 May 2024, the film was aired in Israel on various channels, including HOT, yes, Cellcom and Partner.^[9] The film was screened in the U.S. capitol for American lawmakers^[10] and at the White House.^[11]

Reception

Bret Stephens wrote about the film in The New York Times, arguing that it is impactful: "To watch Screams Before Silence is to be disabused of any lingering doubts about what Hamas did. The personal testimonies of victims, survivors and witnesses are clear and overpowering, as is the photographic evidence Sandberg was shown of mutilated corpses. And some of them have scarcely been heard about outside Israel."^[12]

Briahna Joy Gray criticized the film, opining that it relies on "debunked" reporting such as the New York Times' "Screams Without Words" article.^[13][14] Ryan Grim criticized the film's reliance on coerced interrogation videos and cast doubt on the evidence and conclusions in the documentary.^[15] TheWrap film critic Elizabeth Weitzman called the film hard to watch and that it needed a trigger warning, but praised the "immensely powerful job" done by the director in telling the story of October 7.^[16]

In June 2024, president-elect, Donald Trump urged people to see the film, writing on social media that it is "...incredibly difficult to watch because, sadly, it graphically portrays the Death and Destruction that Hamas has unleashed."^[17]

See also

• Bearing Witness (2023 film)
• Screams Without Words

References

1. Brown, Hannah (28 April 2024). "'Screams Before Silence': New doc highlights Hamas's Oct. 7 sexual violence". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
2. Screams Before Silence (Motion picture). 25 April 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024 – via YouTube.
3. Weitzman, Elizabeth (27 April 2024). "Screams Before Silence Review: Oct. 7 Rape Survivors Speak". TheWrap. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
4. "'Screams Before Silence': Sheryl Sandberg releases documentary on Hamas sex crimes on October 7". The Times of Israel. 26 April 2024.
5. Raice, Shayndi; Peled, Anat (7 February 2024). "Sheryl Sandberg Is on a Mission to Make Sure Oct. 7 Horrors Aren't Forgotten". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
6. i24NEWS (29 January 2024). ""Every second seemed like an eternity" says former Hamas captive Amit Soussana". I24news. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
7. Kingsley, Patrick; Bergman, Ronen (26 March 2024). "Israeli Hostage Says She Was Sexually Assaulted and Tortured in Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
8. נצ'ין, איתן (27 April 2024). "הסרט בהנחיית שריל סנדברג מתעד את האלימות המינית של חמאס: "הם עשו שיעורי בית"". הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
9. שיף, עינב (26 April 2024). "הדוקו על הטרור המיני ב-7 באוקטובר חשוב ומזכיר כמה השבת החטופים חיונית מתמיד". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
10. "Sheryl Sandberg's film on Hamas' Oct. 7 on Israel attack to screen at Capitol".
11. "'Being in captivity means having no control': Ex-hostage meets with VP Kamala Harris". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
12. Stephens, Bret (30 April 2024). "Sheryl Sandberg Screams Back at the Silence". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
13. The Hill (8 May 2024). MISINFO Spreads; Sheryl Sandberg Gives OXYGEN To Now DEBUNKED NYT Hamas Rape Story: Briahna Joy Gray. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via YouTube.
14. "Sheryl Sandberg: 'I Was Wrong About Antisemitism'". The Free Press. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
15. "Wild Media Israel Hypocrisy Exploiting Hostage Videos". Breaking Points. 5 September 2024. Archived from the original on 5 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
16. Weitzman, Elizabeth (27 April 2024). "In Sheryl Sandberg's 'Screams Before Silence' Doc, Survivors of Oct. 7 Sexual Violence Speak: 'Mom, They're Going to Rape Me Now'". TheWrap. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
17. 'Difficult to watch': Donald Trump urges people to watch October 7 film The Jerusalem Post. 25 June 2024

External Links

• Screams Before Silence at IMDb
• Shani Littman, 'We're Dealing With a Sexual Shoah as It's Happening', Haaretz, May 6, 2024
• Screams Before Silence on YouTube