Nim Shapira’s film 'Torn' explores how Oct 7 shook NY streets; stories of free speech, grief and coexistence

In this interview, Christian journalist Paul Calvert speaks with writer–director–producer Nim Shapira about “Torn,” his new 75-minute documentary tracing New York City’s “poster war” in the first three months after Oct. 7.

Shapira, an Israeli who has lived in New York for 13 years, followed 10 subjects as they confronted free-speech battles, grief, and identity on the streets and online. At the heart of the conflict were posters of kidnapped hostages that were put up by volunteers and repeatedly torn down, sparking outrage, counter-poster campaigns, and even job losses for people filmed ripping them down. As Shapira puts it, “Not only the posters were torn. Also the social fabric of the city was torn.”

Among the interviewees profiled were Alana and Liam Zeitchik – U.S.-Israeli siblings whose relatives were kidnapped, and friends of fallen IDF soldier Omer Neutra, whose family advocated for a hostage deal for more than a year before learning he was already dead.

Shapira also spoke with university and community representatives, a rabbi reflecting on trauma, and a director from FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression), who addresses free speech rights. The documentary also explains how the poster movement was started by street artists Dede Bandaid and Nitzan Mintz, whose grassroots “Missing” posters became a global phenomenon.

Shapira said he avoided sensational footage, instead preferring to create space for conversation.

“This is not a film about Israel or Gaza,” he told Calvert. “It’s a film...it’s not a film about the Middle East. It’s a film about America and about every Western city that was grappling with what’s happening with the hostages and the posters.” 

He explained that screenings in synagogues, churches, and universities have shown that audiences experience the film like an ink-blot test, with people seeing their own fears and hopes reflected back to themselves.

“Between the river and the sea, there’s enough space for both the Israelis and the Palestinians. No one is going anywhere, and the only way forward is coexistence.”

Encouraging coexistence and compassion, he said, “I’m praying for empathy. We don’t have to agree about everything. We need to listen to each other’s narratives and stories, because that’s the only way forward.”

To learn more or host a screening, visit www.torn-film.com.

Click below to listen to the full interview and hear how “Torn” invites churches, synagogues and educational campuses to talk, listen, and heal.