Outside the Box [Office] and Briarcliff Entertainment invite you to attend
 

A Special Theatrical Screening of

OCTOBER 8

Directed by Wendy Sachs
Produced by Inbal B. Lessner, Nimrod Erez, and Kelley Hartmann

Followed by a Q&A with Producer/Editor Inbal B. Lessner
Moderated by SCA Vice Dean Michael Renov

7:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

The Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre at the Frank Sinatra Hall
3507 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90007

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVP REQUIRED.
RSVPs ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About October 8

OCTOBER 8 offers a look at the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, social media and in the streets of America beginning the day after the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas. Through meticulous investigation, the film also uncovers how over decades, Hamas created sophisticated networks in America to permeate U.S. institutions and examines the tsunami of online antisemitism, propaganda, and disinformation unleashed by Iran, China and Russia – with the sole purpose of dividing American society.

Provided courtesy of Briarcliff Entertainment. Running time: 100 minutes.

https://www.october8film.com/

Filmmaker's Statement

On October 7, 2023, the terrorist group Hamas slaughtered more Jews in a single day than at any time since the Holocaust. More than 3,000 terrorists infiltrated the Nova Music Festival and 22 communities in Southern Israel, murdering nearly 1,200 Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Christians, and kidnapping 251 people, ranging in age from nine months to 93 years old. Hamas live streamed their atrocities and even posted on their victims’ Facebook pages.

I was visiting my daughter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on October 7th and watched this nightmare unfold in real time. As the videos came in on social media, it was as if a generational trauma had been unleashed.

The next day, October 8th, when Israel was still counting the dead, mutilated and kidnapped, jubilation broke out around the world, including in New York’s Times Square and on college campuses, where professors spoke of feeling “exhilarated and energized” by the massacre in Israel. Thirty-four student groups at Harvard signed a letter saying that Israel was “entirely responsible” for the attack.

I felt the horror at a cellular level. The silence of Hollywood, the silence of women’s organizations, and the silence of progressive spaces, where most Jews, including myself, feel the most comfortable, left many of us feeling abandoned.

By the end of October, I knew that I had to document this moment through the American Jewish lens. For 10 months, I filmed around the world, on college campuses (Columbia, Cornell, MIT, and UC Santa Barbara), in Israel twice, in London and across America.

I’ve conducted more than 80 interviews with college students, survivors from the kibbutzim, celebrities including Debra Messing and Michael Rapaport, Congressman Ritchie Torres, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and high profile individuals including Sheryl Sandberg, Scott Galloway, Mosab Yousef (the son of Hamas’s founder), Bari Weiss, Douglas Murray and US Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt. I’ve interviewed journalists, academics and social media experts, students and folks across the political spectrum.

I’ve poured my entire life into this project, and while I’ve done plenty of interesting and important work in my career that I believed was consequential at the time, nothing is as urgent, as existential, and as personal as making this film.

To be clear, this is not a “Jewish” film or intended for only Jewish audiences. This film is not political, either. We are not litigating the war in Israel and in Gaza or advocating that anyone be denied their land or statehood. This film is for global audiences.

It has intentionally been edited to not be preachy but to unpack how we got to this moment where Hamas is celebrated as freedom fighters rather than as terrorists and how calls for a global intifada have swept college campuses. We learn how social media has been hijacked by foreign forces (Russia, Iran and China) looking to disrupt American democracy, sow disinformation and ultimately divide us. This story is much bigger than Jews or the state of Israel. This is about democracy and the future of our children. As antisemitism rises to extraordinary new levels, there is an urgency to tell this story and document what has happened. We must bear witness to the hate and call out extremism. While this is deeply personal for me, it’s much bigger than any one of us.

As Congressman Ritchie Torres says, “this is about humanity and who we are as a country, and the fight for the soul of America.”

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

Check-In & Reservations

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Executive Director, Film Programming and Special Projects, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu