After Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, protests around the world celebrated the terrorist attack that killed more than 1,000 people. Witnessing a rise in hateful rhetoric sparked something in Wendy Sachs, an American documentarian and journalist. Within a few weeks, she had begun working on a film documenting the anti-Israel protests sweeping across the United States.

October H8TE, which examines the rise of antisemitism, has its Canadian premiere in Toronto on Friday. The film has already “crossed the $1 million box office” threshold, Sachs said. She’s heard from venues across Europe and Australia expressing interest in airing October H8TE and shared that a recent Mexico City screening was sold out. Sachs spoke to National Post about her motivation for making the film and its central message ahead of the Toronto event. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.