A poster for “The Bridge.” Photo: Provided

A new documentary from the Emmy-winning executive producer and director of “Friends” follows 10 young Israeli survivors of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in Israel as they heal from their trauma through the help of music.

“The Bridge” will open in theaters across North America in November but will screen with partner organizations in communities across the US beginning on Wednesday, to coincide with the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre. The documentary chronicles survivors of the attack as they travel from Israel to Los Angeles to attend the legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, where they navigate through their trauma. The group focuses on healing, resilience, connection, and recovery through music, while being mentored by legendary musicians from bands including Guns N’ Roses, Van Halen, Black Sabbath, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

The group of Israelis included Nova Music Festival survivors; a musician whose father, a Magen David Adom volunteer ambulance driver, was murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7; a singer who hid in her safe room as terrorists when on a deadly rampage outside her door; and a longtime touring musician whose brother was kidnapped on Oct. 7 and held hostage in the Gaza Strip.

“After Oct. 7, every sound would make me panic,” said Nova Music Festival survivor Raz Shifer in the official trailer for “The Bridge.” She said after her experience at the rock camp, “Music is my victory.”

“What begins as a leap into the unknown becomes a once-in-a-lifetime journey for 10 young Israeli survivors of Oct. 7 — proof that even after the darkest moments, music can be more than sound. It can be salvation,” read a synopsis of the film. “Ten survivors. One way to rock. For these 10 young Israelis, healing begins with a single note — and grows into a shared journey of resilience, brotherhood, and sound that carries far beyond the stage. Through mentorship, performance, and the simple act of picking up an instrument again, the survivors of ‘The Bridge’ are reclaiming their voices.”

The documentary is directed and edited by Brad Allgood, and produced by Emmy Award winner Kevin S. Bright, who executive produced the iconic television series “Friends” and directed 60 episodes of the show. “The Bridge” is also produced by Bright’s longtime friend and music industry veteran David Fishof, who is the founder and CEO of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, in association with the nonprofit Rock ‘N’ Heal. Legendary songwriter and 17-time Academy Award nominee Diane Warren helped on the film as well. The group of Oct. 7 survivors recorded a theme song “Prayers for this World” that was written by Warren at Pluto Recording Studio and originally performed by Cher.

Fishof has years of experience producing rock tours and has worked with veteran rockers including Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey, Joe Walsh, Bill Wyman, and Peter Frampton. The idea of “The Bridge” starts after the Oct. 7 atrocities in 2023, when Fishof traveled to southern Israel to tour communities and sites along the Israel-Gaza border impacted by the attack. During the trip, Fishof attended the funeral of Hamas hostage Yotam Haim, where the victim’s brother, Tuval, played a drum solo before laying his sticks in his brother’s grave.

“I need to bring his brother to my camp,” Fishof recounted thinking at the time. “It could have a profound impact.”

Shortly afterward, he was connected with 10 Israeli musicians whose lives had been overturned on Oct. 7 and brought them to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp. The survivors connected with fellow campers and performed alongside their mentors at some of Los Angeles’ most historic music venues, including the Whisky a Go Go and the Viper Room. Fishof invited a film crew to document the experience.

The visionaries behind “The Bridge” said they hope the film inspires healing and highlights the power of music.

“Music has a way of reaching people that words simply cannot,” Bright said in a released statement. “I have spent my career telling stories that bring people together, and there is nothing I have been more moved by than watching these young survivors use music to process their trauma, rebuild their confidence, and reclaim their joy. This film is proof that even after the darkest moments, healing is possible.”

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to bring a group of ten survivors of the Oct. 7 attacks to Hollywood for an unforgettable, life-changing experience,” Fishof added. “Watching them pick up instruments, stand on stage, and find their voice again after living through the unimaginable — that is the power of music. We are so excited to bring these survivors back to the US, Canada, and cities around the world for screenings, conversations, performances and concerts, as well as commemorations, so that even more communities can witness their strength and be part of their healing.”

“The Bridge” will screen on Wednesday in New York at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and the Jacob Burns Film Center, one of the most successful suburban art houses in the country. Additional screenings on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack will take place at The Studio at Mizner Park hosted by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, which will include a concert with Israeli musicians from the film; the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum in Missouri, Temple Emanu-El in Florida; and the Jewish Community Center London. “The Bridge” will open theatrically at Laemmle Theaters in Los Angeles from Nov. 5–11, with hundreds of additional screenings scheduled at theaters, synagogues, Jewish community centers, film festivals, and campuses in the US and abroad.

Watch a trailer for “The Bridge” in the video below.