In the documentary The Children of October 7, which debuts Wednesday on Paramount+, performer and activist Montana Tucker sits down with young survivors of the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, to hear their emotional stories.
Tucker was previously known for upbeat TikTok posts but has since focused her social media presence on advocating for those impacted by the attacks that left more than 1,200 Israelis dead. Producers for The Children of October 7 reached out to Tucker to lead the on-camera conversations with the young people, who describe being held captive during invasions of their homes and witnessing the loss of family members.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for director Asaf Becker’s film that airs Thursday on MTV and is currently streaming on Paramount+, Tucker discusses how she approached her time with the children, the significance to its release date and why she believes the documentary can be appreciated without viewers needing to pick sides in the ongoing Gaza war.
Courtesy of Paramount+
How did you get involved with this documentary?
A production company from Israel reached out to me because I have done a lot of work with children. I’ve always had a very special connection with them, and this was the first time I did something that was so serious and so intense with children. Some of the kids knew me from seeing my TikTok dance videos, so they felt a bit more comfortable with me being the one to share their stories. When I got asked if I wanted to be a part of this project, it was an immediate yes.
How did the production get in touch with these children?
Every Jew around the world pretty much had a connection to somebody who was affected by October 7th. Everyone in Israel is just one big family, and everyone is connected to somebody, somehow. When finding the children to do this documentary, it was just a lot of people knowing people in Israel to make this come through, and the filmmakers did such an incredible job with the research and reaching out. On set, we had a psychologist there. We were very, very sensitive to the children and to their families and making sure that everything was approved by them and that they were comfortable.
What stands out in your mind when from speaking with the children?
This film was mentally really tough on everybody. I certainly didn’t sleep at all while I was filming. People ask me, “How did you not break down in every moment while filming?” There are some moments in the film that I did break down, but what did keep me going is, I would look at these children in the eyes while I was interviewing them. If they were able to recount their testimony a year after it all happened, and they’re able to look me in the eyes and stay strong, I have to be able to look them in the eyes and be strong for them. But definitely every night after filming, it was very emotional for me. These kids are so strong and incredible, and all they want is peace, and they want a future for themselves.
What is your hope for the project?
A few things. One, we have to note that it is coming out on April 23rd — which is Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day — and that is not by accident. We thought that was a very powerful date. And we need to make sure that people know this film is not political at all. We don’t dive into the conflict. We don’t ask people to take sides. These are just real testimonies from innocent children that had nothing to do with a conflict or a war or any politics, whatsoever. I hope that people really hear from these children and go into this film with an open mind and have empathy. It’s a tough film to watch, but it’s a really important film. I really recommend parents showing it to their children, specifically.
After this year’s Oscars, there has been debate surrounding the documentary win for No Other Land. How do you feel about film and TV projects that have focused on the Gaza situation?
Listen, this is such a sensitive subject, and I really do know that. There are always documentaries that come out after wars, and storytelling is so important. That’s why I have been on the ground in Israel five times [since Oct. 7], and I continue to go and meet with survivors. My film specifically is told directly from the children. There’s no questioning if this is political; this is just real-life testimonies. My grandparents gave their testimonies to Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, where he interviewed Holocaust survivors. These are October 7th survivors sharing their testimonies, and that’s it.
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