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October 7, 2023, marked the largest massacre of Jews to take place since the Holocaust, with 251 hostages taken by Hamas as well. Wendy Sachs’ documentary isn’t about that horrific event, although it includes disturbing footage from the infamous day and harrowing testimony by survivors. Rather, it concerns what happened immediately afterward, namely the precipitous rise in antisemitism that manifested itself in demonstrations on college campuses, on the streets and in social media. For those concerned about this growing problem — and everyone should be — October 8 is mandatory viewing.

The film includes footage of the congressional testimony of several university presidents who had trouble explaining why they failed to sufficiently protect Jewish students from the harassment that had been directed at them — and whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated their code of conduct.

Several university students who did attempt to counter the anti-Israel hatred are profiled, including the student body president of University of California at Santa Barbara, who put out a statement supporting Israel and received a barrage of hate messages and threats as a result.

October 8 seeks both to explain the reasons behind the rise in hatred and condemn the relative lack of organized response to it. It points to the SJP, or Students for Justice in Palestine, a controversial group estimated to have some 200 branches across the country.

The film also decries the relative lack of vocal condemnation from celebrities and politicians about the hostage-taking by Hamas, as compared to, say, the outrage expressed after the abduction of school girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

The film also decries the relative lack of vocal condemnation from celebrities and politicians about the hostage-taking by Hamas, as compared to, say, the outrage expressed after the abduction of school girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Hollywood figures have been largely silent, with conspicuous exceptions including actors Debra Messing (an EP on this film) and Michael Rapaport, both featured prominently in the documentary.

Among the other talking heads passionately expressing their deep concern about the rising tide of antisemitism are congressman Ritchie Torres (who has emerged as an ardent defender of Israel), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Scott Galloway, Douglas Murray, Sheryl Sandberg, and historian Deborah Lipstadt. We also hear from Mosab Yousef, the son of a Hamas co-founder and an ex-Palestinian militant who has since become an outspoken critic of Hamas and the pro-Palestinian movement.

Like many advocacy documentaries, October 8 does some cherry-picking of facts and draws some questionable conclusions.

Sounds like we might get Prime Minister Carney instead of Governor Poilievre.