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The World’s Largest Jewish Film Festival Runs January 14-29, 2026
The Miami Jewish Film Festival (MJFF) announces that Ariel and David Cunio, who were held captive by Hamas terrorists for more than 700 days following the October 7, 2023 attacks, will attend the Florida premiere of the award-winning documentary A Letter to David. Their appearance marks the first time since their release on October 13, 2025 that they will attend a public screening of the film that carries their story—and the first time they will visit the United States, Miami, and a major international film festival.
The screenings will take place on January 24 at the Bill Cosford Cinema and January 25 at the Michael-Ann Russell JCC, accompanied by the film’s producer Nancy Spielberg and acclaimed Israeli director Tom Shoval.
The Festival had been working for months, in close coordination with producer Nancy Spielberg, to make this moment possible. Only in late December—well after the Festival’s program announcement and just weeks before the film’s premiere—did confirmation arrive that Ariel and David would indeed be able to attend. That they can now stand before an audience—free, together, and surrounded by community—underscores the profound gravity of this announcement. Their presence elevates these screenings beyond a premiere, transforming them into a historic act of collective witnessing.
A Letter to David premiered to critical acclaim at the Berlin International Film Festival and went on to win Best Documentary at the Israeli Academy Awards (Ophirs). The film is a deeply personal and powerful testament to family, love, and hope in the face of unimaginable trauma.
Produced by Nancy Spielberg and directed by award-winning Israeli filmmaker Tom Shoval, A Letter to David explores the devastating intersections of art, memory, and war. On October 7, 2023, Shoval’s close friend and collaborator, David Cunio, was abducted along with members of his family from Kibbutz Nir Oz. A decade earlier, David and his twin brother, Eitan, had starred in Shoval’s Berlinale-premiering debut Youth (2013)—a film about brotherhood and kidnapping that now feels hauntingly prophetic.
In his most intimate work to date, Shoval weaves together audition tapes, behind-the-scenes footage, and home videos with present-day testimonies from Eitan and the Cunio family. What emerges is both an intimate portrait of David’s vibrant spirit and a meditation on the unbearable rupture of October 7. More than a film, A Letter to David stands as an act of resistance against forgetting. In a time when Jewish stories—and the truth surrounding them—are too often distorted or erased, the film serves as an essential act of remembrance.
“The attendance of Ariel and David Cunio offers a rare and meaningful opportunity for our community to come together in solidarity. By screening A Letter to David in their presence, we refuse the silence of tragedy and instead choose to bear witness to the strength of the human spirit. Their survival, and the essential truth captured in this monumental film, reminds us that empathy is not naïve—it’s necessary. In times of uncertainty, the simple act of watching a movie together can in itself become a powerful statement of courage and shared humanity. Our Miami Jewish Film Festival exists for moments like this—where art strengthens community and curiosity triumphs over fear,” said Igor Shteyrenberg, Executive Director of the Miami Jewish Film Festival.
The full lineup and schedule for the 2026 Miami Jewish Film Festival is available at: www.miamijewishfilmfestival.org
MORE INFORMATION:
Tickets for the festival’s in-theater and virtual events go on sale to the public on Wednesday, December 10 and sales continue throughout the festival. In addition to individual tickets ($11-$54), the festival offers All-Access Theater Badges ($350) providing entry to all in-theater events and All-Access Virtual Passes ($249) giving access to all films streaming in the festival’s digital screening room. Festival films will be available to stream starting Thursday, January 15 until Wednesday, January 28 in MJFF’s virtual program. More information is available at www.miamijewishfilmfestival.org
Follow the Miami Jewish Film Festival on Facebook (/miamijewishfilmfestival) or Twitter (@MiamiJFF) for updates and the latest information about the Festival and attending filmmakers. The Miami Jewish Film Festival is a program of the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), a subsidiary of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
