One year after October 7: DW expands programming portfolio

Five films, a broad range of perspectives: With documentary films and reports, DW is providing background information on the terrorist attacks by Hamas as well as on the Israeli army’s subsequent war in Gaza.

Key visual of the documentary "Hurt People Hurt People - October 7 and its Aftermath"
Image: DW/Arte/ZDF

DW will show the 86-minute film titled "Hurt People Hurt People: October 7 and Its Aftermath" for the first time on October 5, 2024. It will appear in the worldwide linear DW broadcast as well as on DW Documentaries’ YouTube channels. In the DW, Arte and ZDF (Production: Beetz Brothers) coproduction, the filmmakers look at the weeks leading up to October 7, 2023 and try to explain how it could come to the massive attack on Israel. They also speak to trauma experts about the recurring escalations in the Middle East and what is behind the cycle of violence.

The picture shows a devastated festival site with clothes and other objects scattered on the ground.
Picture taken on the Supernova festival site in Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Image: DW/Arte/ZDF

The documentary "From Nightlife to Nightmare: Tel Aviv and October 7" will premiere on October 8 via linear channels and on demand. The 45-minute film is a coproduction of DW and Phoenix and focuses on the coastal Israeli city and on how the massacre by Hamas has changed life there.

The photo shows two people standing in front of a long wall with photos of Israeli hostages, who had been taken by Hamas during the terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Still from the documentary "From Nightlife to Nightmare: Tel Aviv and October 7". Image: DW

The 30-minute report by DW entitled "Fleeing War in Gaza - For a New Life in Egypt?" is already online. Since the War in Gaza began, tens of thousands of people have already fled the bombed territories for neighboring Egypt. They are somewhere between hope for peace and fear for those still in Gaza. The film takes viewers on a portion of their journey.

DW Managing Director of Programming Dr. Nadja Scholz: "As an international media organization, it is imperative that we provide our global audience with comprehensive information. At the same time, we would like to report from as many perspectives as possible. Our documentary program provides valuable background information, enabling our audience to analyze and discuss the terrible October 7 terrorist attack and the destructive war to which it led."

DW is not only broadcasting its own productions leading up to October 7, but also a number of other documentaries that provide a deeper understanding of the conflict in the Middle East. "Escalating Violence in the Occupied West Bank" is one of those films. It examines the situation surrounding the Israeli settlements in the West Bank that are in violation of international law. Additionally, "06:30" provides an impressively detailed reconstruction of the October 7 Hamas attack.

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