Israeli filmmaker Tom Shoval has returned to Berlin with a deeply personal documentary, “A Letter to David,” that pays tribute to his friend David Cunio—one of more than 250 hostages taken from the Nir Oz kibbutz by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The film, which weaves together behind-the-scenes footage from Shoval’s first feature, “Youth,” audition tapes, and contemporary interviews, offers a portrait of Cunio’s life before his abduction while capturing the ongoing trauma faced by his family.
Shoval, who recalls Cunio’s pivotal role in inspiring his early career, explained that the project grew out of a profound sense of helplessness in the days following the attack. “I wanted to share all these thoughts with David and send him some signals,” he said. “It became a cry for help and a cry for a dialogue.”
Shoval’s approach is marked by his decision to avoid the well-known news images of the October 7 violence. Instead, he chose to focus on the personal impact of the tragedy on Cunio and his family, an effort to preserve the humanity behind the headlines.
Nancy Spielberg, whose involvement came after her own unsettling experience in Israel on October 7, described the film as a means of providing an outsider’s perspective. “I was deeply affected by what I witnessed, and I wanted to help portray the family’s pain and closeness,” she said.
Spielberg, the sister of Steven Spielberg, noted that her role was to offer a view that would resonate beyond Israel’s borders. She recalled a moment on the red carpet at Berlin when the festival’s artistic director and several German actors held photos of David—a gesture that reinforced the film’s focus on the individual rather than the politics.
The documentary also revisits moments from “Youth,” a film in which Cunio starred alongside his brothers. Shoval recalled those early days in Berlin with fondness, emphasizing how the shared experience of the festival and the film’s modest beginnings influenced his current work. “We were very excited and feeling like stars, and now, looking at the family through these personal moments, the contrast is very stark,” he said.
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Produced by a team that includes Alona Refua, Maya Fischer, Roy Bareket, and Nancy Spielberg, the project is backed by Israeli broadcaster Hot8, The New Fund For Cinema And Television, and several philanthropic organizations focused on Jewish stories. The Berlin premiere of “A Letter to David” has been described as closing a circle for Shoval—a hope that the film might be a step toward David’s eventual return. “I have this mystic feeling that if I close all the circles, then David will be here and be released,” Shoval said.
