1. "It Wasn't Just the Hostage Posters. The Social Fabric of New York Was Also Torn"
Haaretz – May 18, 2025 – Adrian Hennigan
“Nim Shapira’s debut documentary is a powerful chronicle of the battle that arose over Israeli hostage posters after October 7 in city streets.”
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2. "How Posters of Hamas Hostages Became Targets in the War for Public Opinion in NY"
The Times of Israel – March 4, 2024 – Renee Ghert-Zand
“The new documentary Torn traces how the campaign to raise awareness about the hostages taken by Hamas became a proxy battleground on the streets of New York.”
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3. "A New Film Spotlights How the Israel-Hamas War Played Out in Poster Battles on NYC Streets"
JTA – December 9, 2024 – Agatha Khishchenko
“‘Torn’ explores the motivations of those who both put up and tore down the posters across the city.”
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4. "This Week's Films on Israeli TV"
Haaretz – September 30, 2024 – Oron Shamir
“This gripping documentary succeeds in performing multiple tasks... Torn by Nimrod Shapira is a powerful film that lingers in the mind.”
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5. "Two Stark Films Explore the Aftermath of Oct. 7 in Both Israel and U.S."
JWeekly – March 3, 2025 – Maya Mirsky
“Torn and October 7, 2023 expose deep wells of anger and pain, but both also make pleas for empathy and connection. Shapira said he wants people to step outside their echo chambers and try to understand the motivations and humanity of others.
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6. "‘Torn’ Documentary Shown at Weitzman as Part of Jewish Resilience Event"
Jewish Exponent – May 9, 2025 – Stephen Silver
“‘Torn’ is a powerful documentary that delves into the impact of the 'Kidnapped' posters following the events of October 7.”
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7. "Israeli Filmmaker Torn About Hostage Poster Campaign"
Cleveland Jewish News – March 18, 2025 – Courtney Byrnes
“‘Torn’ provides a deeper understanding of how a visual campaign shook the streets of New York — and the world.”
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8. "Torn: The Israel-Palestine Poster War on NYC Streets"
Solzy at the Movies – March 2, 2025 – Danielle Solzman
“‘Torn’ is a film that takes a look at the grassroots campaign to raise awareness for the Israelis taken hostage in Gaza and the controversy that followed.”
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9. "Center for Israel Studies Hosts Screening of ‘Torn’ Documentary on NYC Hostage Posters"
YU Commentator – November 15, 2024 – Ruti Frohlich
“‘Torn’ is a call for deeper empathy and introspection, urging audiences to confront uncomfortable truths and consider how we might begin the process of healing, both individually and as a global community.”
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10. "Torn: New York as a Battleground of Ideology and Emotion"
Portfolio Magazine – October 7, 2024 – Reut Barnea
“Nimrod Shapira's documentary explains how the act of posting and tearing down posters with the faces of the hostages became a charged ideological front.”
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11. "‘Torn’: Film on Tearing of Hostage Posters Presented at Yeshiva University"
Jewish Link – May 30, 2025 – Daniel Brauner
“‘Torn’ explores community resilience, the challenges of free speech, and the complexities of cancel culture.”
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12. "Torn: Hostages' 'Kidnapped' Posters Stolen"
Intermountain Jewish News – March 1, 2025 – Staff Writer
“‘Torn’ delves into the emotional and political turmoil ignited by the removal of hostage posters, reflecting the deep divisions within communities.”
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13. "Six Selections from the 2025 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival"
Stephen Silver on Substack – March 2025
“Torn, directed by Nim Shapira, is a documentary about this ugly phenomenon, which has repeated itself over and over since October 7, mostly in New York City... I liked that the film gives everyone their say while also demonstrating a couple of other things:
That, in the end, the presence and the tearing of the posters probably don’t have much effect on the hostages or their fates, and there’s way too much smug assholery in the online influencer space related to Israel/Palestine — and neither side has a monopoly on it.”
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14. "Torn: The Posters They Didn't Want to See"
Tenou’a (France) – March 7, 2025 – Paloma Auzéau
“This moving film explores the reasons behind the tearing down of Israeli hostage posters after October 7, highlighting the violent polarization of the Israel-Palestine conflict through powerful testimonies.”
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15. "Docaviv opens with a world in conflict"
The Jerusalem Post – May 23, 2025 – Hannah Brown
“Nimrod Shapira’s gripping documentary, Torn, looks at the disturbing phenomenon of people tearing down hostage posters in New York City. Torn traces the origin of the posters, which were designed by artists Nitzan Mintz and Dede Bandaid to promote awareness of the 250 hostages, never thinking they would end up being seen as controversial – and certainly not that they would be ripped down.”
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