A Letter to David

The documentary unfolds as a cinematic letter from director Tom Shoval to David Cunio, an Israeli man abducted from Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023 attacks and still held in Gaza. Shoval revisits his earlier feature film Youth (2013), in which Cunio starred as a teenager involved in a fictional kidnapping, and juxtaposes that narrative with Cunio's real‑life fate. Drawing on behind‑the‑scenes footage, audition tapes, and personal reflections, the film explores the unsettling overlap between cinema and reality. Through this framework, Shoval examines themes of memory, trauma, and the role of filmmaking in confronting war and loss. Cunio was released by Hamas two years later, on 13 October 2025, nearly 6 months after the documentary official release in Israel. Following the news, Shoval announced that he plans to give the film a new ending. == Production ==

Nancy Spielberg, sister of Steven Spielberg is among the producers of the film. Nancy had been visiting Israel during the October 7 attacks and was deeply affected and wanted to make a film. Through her friend Jake Paltrow, she was introduced to Shoval. ==Release==

The documentary had its world premiere on 7 October 2025 at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was screened in the Berlinale Special section. ==Reception==

Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film: "The haunting images of the Cunio brothers in Youth leave us to ponder David's fate not only as an actor in a movie, but in the greater global tragedy he's now a part of." In 2025, it won the Ophir Award for Best Full-length Documentary. ==References==