Critic Reviews

Holding Liat is an emotionally rich, politically thought-provoking account of one Israeli-American family’s ordeal in the wake of the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

Holding Liat is a valuable work, not least for showing us that Israel and Netanyahu are not synonymous.

While it’s impossible not to be moved by Holding Liat, Kramer also challenges his audience to consider the situation in Gaza carefully and really question what is best for the region going forward.

At a time when people feel obliged to choose which side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict they stand on, Holding Liat takes a thoughtful middle ground that exposes the situation without exploiting it.

Kramer quietly but forcefully recognizes that the conflict cannot continue as it has.

Holding Liat quickly reveals a much more complex picture: a constellation of personal opinions, politics, and viewpoints coming from the Israeli-American Beinin family.

The Israelis in "Holding Liat” are perfect subjects for a documentary about wartime trauma that hopes to reach beyond partisan enclaves.

The camera’s non-interventionist nature becomes vital. The visual approach embodies the Beinin family’s loss of control, and the growing uncertainty around them and what they believe.

The resulting film offers a unique and revealing — but fundamentally incomplete — perspective on the ongoing war in Gaza.