Berlin
Tricia Tuttle, festival director, described this as “ a rich mix of visceral genre films that grab us physically as well as mentally”…
AS MORE hostages are due to be released shortly, at the Berlinale, ‘Michtav Le’ David’ or ‘A Letter to David’ is a timely reminder of the human cost of the Israel-Gaza conflict in this tale of friendship and love.
Filmmaker Tom Shoval directed the twins, David and Eitan Cunio in his debut feature film ‘Youth’* (2013).
David is an actor and he was among the many people taken on October 7, 2023 from Kibbutz Nir Oz.
‘A Letter to David’ then is a filmic letter to his friend. In his own voiceover, Shoval says: “I am addressing you in the only way I know – through cinema that brought us together.”
Shoval delves into his audition tapes for ‘Youth’, which is when they first met and we see auditions of the many possible brother twins but the best of the bunch turn out to be Eitan and David who have a mischievous quality and fine banter: candid about their brotherly love for each other and so are selected to be in ‘Youth’.
It explores the relationships that twins have. “Not my brother but my best friend” and the almost telepathic connection in that they can understand each other without the need for words.
The brothers are engaging and truculent and Shoval intercuts scenes from ‘Youth’ with a conversation with Eitan about the fateful day on October 7 when the family’s life changed forever.
Shoval has opted not to show any of the horror that unfolded at Kibbutz Nir Oz but Eitan does revisit his now former home which is just blackened charred remains.
He describes the plight of his own family (wife and two children) who had to hide in a shelter room with a steel re-enforced door and windows, and while they hid, the house was set on fire by Hamas terrorists and it is a miracle they survived.
Meanwhile, he doesn’t know what happened to David but through interviews with David’s wife, Sharon and their parents, we find out a lot more.
David and his whole family were also taken hostage but his wife and twin daughters were released after 52 days while David is still not free.
Shoval also uncovers another piece of archive film made by David in the shape of a home movie documenting his life on the kibbutz with his family, juggling and eating oranges from their orchard.
(There is no discussion around any relationship with your Palestinian neighbours and perhaps that is a cinematic decision but it’s the kind of question that is bound to come up).
He pieces all this archive together with present day interviews with the family members. David’s parents, Silvia and Jose, who immigrated to Israel in 1988 and his elder brother, Lucas.
David’s younger brother, Ariel Cunio is also currently a hostage. Other hostages mentioned in the film who are from the same kibbutz and include Tom Yarden Bibas (recently released) and Ronen Engel (killed in captivity).
In one of the final moving scenes (spoiler alert), Shoval shows us a scene from ‘Youth’ (2013) when the two brothers meet after a long separation and like males everywhere in this mood, they hug and are boisterous.
He asks Eitan to imagine the reunion between his twin and himself, while we the audience ponder quietly on the nature of friendship and love between siblings and wish for a happy ending.
This is a touching and powerful film which brings home what it is like to live through an ordeal like this as someone on the other side and not knowing whether the person you care about will ever emerge into the sunlight.
ACV rating: **** (out of five)
Main picture: Eitan Cunio, David Cunio – © Orit Azoulay
*‘Youth’ premiered at the Berlinale in 2013
More info/details at Berlinale 75/2025: https://www.berlinale.de/en/2025/programme/202505181.html
