A remarkable story of survival has emerged from the horrific Hamas attacks on the Israeli community of Nir Oz last October. Esther Cuño, a 90-year-old Argentinian-Israeli, credits soccer legend Lionel Messi for sparing her life when armed Palestinian gunmen stormed her home.
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"They demanded to know the whereabouts of family members, but she remained calm and steered talk toward soccer," explains the new documentary "Voces del 7 de octubre – Latino Stories of Survival", Cuño told her attackers she hailed from the same country as Messi. "One of them said he liked Messi and then made her pose for the famous picture. She was left alone after that," the film reveals.
The documentary, under production by Fuente Latina and director Tony Hernandez, captures the Latino immigrant experience during the brutal Hamas onslaught that killed, wounded, or kidnapped a quarter of Nir Oz's residents. "This documentary is unique as it spotlights the Spanish-speaking community in Israel and conveys their stories of horror and heroism," said Leah Soibel, Fuente Latina's CEO.
"Documenting the narratives from the viewpoints of Spanish-speaking immigrants has been an extraordinary privilege. Our film aims to preserve the lessons of history while leveraging our shared humanity in the battle against terrorism," Hernandez stated. The movie follows individuals like Cuño as they recount surviving the massacre through immersive storytelling.
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