October 8: Release date, cast, trailer, and everything to know
October 8 is an upcoming Oscar-qualified documentary. The film is a strong analysis of the surge in antisemitism following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired the movie for distribution in the US.
October 8, which was originally titled October H8TE, has been directed by Wendy Sachs. Sharon Farber composed the film's score and was nominated for a Hollywood Music In Media Award.
The documentary was shown at the Miami Jewish Film Festival and is scheduled for release on Friday, March 14, 2025.
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When will October 8 be released?
Per a report by Deadline published on January 29, 2025, Briarcliff Entertainment has scheduled October 8 for a limited theatrical debut on March 14, 2025. The documentary will be in more than 100 theaters across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Washington D.C., and other cities.
According to an Instagram post from director Wendy Sachs' account @wsachs, the movie will be open for previews in select cities on March 13, 2024. As of this writing, there is no news regarding its acquisition by a streaming platform.
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What is the plot of October 8?
October 8 begins with the events of October 7, 2023, in Israel and then moves to the reactions of the US. The synopsis of the film reads:
"OCTOBER 8 offers a look at the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, social media and in the streets of America beginning the day after the October 7th attack on Israel by Hamas."
It further continues:
"Through meticulous investigation, the film also uncovers how over decades, Hamas created sophisticated networks in America to permeate U.S. institutions and examines the tsunami of online antisemitism, propaganda, and disinformation unleashed by Iran, China and Russia – with the sole purpose of dividing American society."
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Who appears in the documentary?
The upcoming documentary features interviews from various public figures. One of them is actress Debra Messing, whose performance in Will & Grace earned her one of the five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and seven Golden Globe Award nominations.
Others prominent personalities appearing in the documentary are:
- Actor-comedian Michael Rapaport
- Author Noa Tishby
- Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of Hamas’s founder)
- Former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg
- Congressman Ritchie Torres
- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York
- U.S. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt
- College student Tessa Veksler
- College student Noa Fay
- College student Talia Khan
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A look at the trailer of October 8
A trailer for October 8 was released on February 20, 2025. It features a mix of real-world footage, news clips, and firsthand accounts from college students, political figures, and activists. Additionally, statements from protest rallies and online platforms are also highlighted.
You can watch the trailer below:
Direction and production
Wendy Sachs has directed the documentary from a screenplay she wrote with Nimrod Erez and Inbal B. Lessner. Sachs co-directed the 2020 documentary Surge alongside Hannah Rosenzweig. Additionally, she produced the MSNBC documentary series My Generation: Gen Z.
While Sachs and Messing are executive producers, Nimrod Erez, Inbal B. Lessner, and Kelley Hartmann serve as producers. Erez and Lessner also edited the film alongside Jaki Covington.
October 8 will be in theaters from March 14, 2025.
