How a defiant silent vigil for children killed in Gaza gave rise to an Oscar nominee

The attentions of most film fans at this evening's 98th Academy Awards will be primarily focused on the much talked about races for best picture and the major acting prizes – with many of cinema's biggest stars competing for those top honours at the glittering ceremony in LA.

But as ever, the less heralded categories are stuffed with films and filmmakers every bit as worthwhile and deserving. The best documentary short category, for example, includes five intensely affecting pieces of work which each shine a light on issues and topics a world away from the glitz and glam of a Hollywood awards show.

One of those nominated films is Children No More, a short by director Hilla Medalia which spotlights a group of activists in Tel Aviv taking a stand against the actions of the Israeli government and armed forces in Gaza.

The poignant film – which is available on Sky and NOW for UK viewers – follows the group as they stage a number of silent vigils, in which they protest against the ongoing bloodshed by honouring the memory of the thousands of children killed by their nation's military campaign.

Ahead of the Oscars, Medalia spoke exclusively to Radio Times about the origins of the film and its production process, what she learned from the activists, and the importance of cinema as a political tool – especially when it comes to atrocities.

Radio Times: How did you become aware of these vigils and why did you want to shine a spotlight on them?

Hilla Medalia: For a very long time, I was thinking, what is the story I want to tell? I live in Tel Aviv and I think, as a documentary filmmaker, we have a lot of responsibility. I kept thinking, what is the story I want to tell? What do I want to do? And when I experienced the vigil for the first time, I was so moved by the silence. It's almost like this quiet was stronger than any scream, and I really connected to it. It affected me so much and the bravery of those activists who put themselves out, saying what they have to say in this very gentle, simple act, was so meaningful. So I was very moved.

I actually knew some of them before and had been following what they were doing, but what's interesting about the silent vigil is that actually they're not part of any organisation. It started very spontaneously after the ceasefire in March 2025 collapsed, the second ceasefire between Gaza and Israel. It was very spontaneous. The first day, there were 193 children that were killed in Gaza in a single day. And this a group of activists, they're all doing a lot of different things, but they're also friends, and they talked about it, and they basically went and printed at home pictures of these kids and went to the street.

So they're not part of any organisation. It's mainly women led, and it's not hierarchical, so there is no leader. And so it's extremely interesting, also for many other reasons.

RT: The silent protest is so moving – how did you go about finding the right way to film it and to make it as impactful as possible on screen?

HM: The goal in the film was to actually deliver the feeling that I had – and we all have – experiencing the vigil and the power of the silence. I really wanted to deliver it within the film. And it's obviously tricky. It's like, how do you create silence in a film? We really wanted to create this feeling. So we really made a point to actually not focus so much about the vigil and the activists and what they do, but more focus on the children and giving the audience that feeling of the vigil. You look at the picture of the kids, you read their name, their age, what happened to them, and the date that they were killed, and the words 'were and is no more'.

And this is, again, very simple. We played a lot in the mix to create the loudness of the street and also the loudness of that larger protest against the war and for the return of the hostages. And then when you get to the vigil, you really feel the silence, and silences become this very, very loud scream.

RT: How much footage did you shoot over the course of making the film and how long were you working on it?

HM: We made the film fairly quickly. We started in mid-June, and by 23 September it was already screened in a theatre in LA to qualify for the Academy Award. So everything happened extremely fast, and we worked concurrently filming and editing, because we really felt the urgency to get the message out. In Israel, we don't see Gaza the way that it's in the news internationally, not because of a national censorship, but there is really a self censorship that is happening and the message is just not there.

So the activists brought this voice of these children into the space, at first into the space of a larger protest to stop the war, but for different reasons, to stop the war for the return of the hostages and return of soldiers and against the government. And because the war doesn't make sense. But it was not about the fact that civilians and innocent people and people who are not involved are basically being killed. So they brought this message into the space, and we felt that we needed to quickly bring the message into a larger audience, internally and internationally.

But, I mean, it does something else. I think what's really interesting is how this actually, without any slogans and without any screaming, is maybe even more effective than any other practice of protest. And to see the reaction of people on the street and how it creates so much emotion, and they're really angry, and there's even violence against the protestors. And I think that's a lesson for all of us to learn that we need to be able to listen and to accept and to be open to a dialogue, and how we are not able to do that and it creates this huge divide.

And I think that it's so powerful that [the protesters] are actually intentionally not responding, and they're intentionally trying to create space for dialogue. They have a group of what they call peacekeepers trying to do that. And I think that's extremely powerful also. And of course, it was very shocking in the making to see how, for some people, they really seem like a betrayal. And you're thinking, how is it possible that the picture of a very young child who was killed can do that? It's showing compassion and humanity, yet for some people, it looks like betrayal.

RT: What struck you about the activists from spending time with them while making the film?

HM: First of all, they are very brave just to put themselves out there and to be able to take all this heat and violence and still come week after week. It's not popular. And also a lot of them are young. They have great jobs. They could be hanging out with friends or doing other things, but they come week after week, day after day, they're so committed to do that and to change the world. And I think that's very inspiring.

And I think what's really, really inspiring for me, on a very personal level, is to see how very small action could be so impactful, and we can all actually do something. Some people can do very little, and other people can do a lot. But I think we should remember that we have the power to change things and if I can only do something small, it's great. I can do it. And small plus small plus small becomes something very big.

RT: In general what role do you think film – whether documentary or narrative cinema – can play when it comes to conflict and atrocities?

HM: I think that any art, and definitely filmmaking, is political, and it's a stage to voice different voices within society, especially when it comes to war. But I think the role of films and of documentaries is to shed light on a specific moment. So our film was shot June to September. It was a moment. It's one group, but you go so much in depth, and you learn so much about what's happening and it hopefully moves you and you can connect.

Maybe it will make you angry, but hopefully it can be a base for a conversation and an open door into something that you don't see. You know, the level of death that exists within this film. And there were two other films in the Oscars shortlist that were about Israel and Gaza, two documentaries, and I think it just gives this real deepened look and sheds light on something that we don't usually expose.

I think there is a lot of importance and meaning within that. So I think sometimes when we watch the news, it's so focused on something that happens now that we all supposedly need to know, but sometimes you don't have the context. We don't understand the nuance. And in the news, there is never space for those nuances that exist in film. So I think it plays a very important role actually.

RT: What do you think about some of the other films that have covered this subject matter recently – for example The Voice of Hind Rajab, which is up for best international feature at the Oscars?

HM: I think there are amazing films about the conflict from different angles. I mean, you mentioned Hind Rajab, and I was involved in a film called Holding Liat about the hostage Liat Beinin Atzili, which was shortlisted. Also in the shortlist this year was Palestine 36, which is a feature film that was representing Palestine. And there was also the Jordanian film, All That's Left of You, which was also about Palestine.

So there are many, and I think they all serve a purpose and tell very specific stories and educate people, and they're doing a very important job in giving a message other than the news to people.

Some of them are very difficult to screen in Israel and are not that available. But I think it's important. And I believe in hearing a lot... you know, I often read the news on the more conservative outlets on one end. Also I try to read what's reported outside of Israel and in the Arab media, because I think it's really interesting to get the different perspective.

RT: What has been the response to your own film within Israel?

HM: Originally, we were planning to premiere the film somewhere around May – or later in the year in a film festival and do the regular route. But the minute we were nominated, we thought we really need to show it there. The main organiser [of the protests] saw it, and two of them were in New York at the premiere, but we wanted to show it to the larger group.

And also, in general, there was a lot of curiosity, and we wanted to share it with a wider audience. I'm now in LA promoting and doing things around the Academy, but between the nomination and when I came here, we actually held a really big screening in a theatre open to the public, a 500-seat theatre in Tel Aviv. It was fully booked, fully packed, and we had a discussion afterwards, and it was extremely interesting.

A lot of them are connected to all the messaging and what the activists say and what they do. But I think what's interesting is for people who don't necessarily agree with them, there is something individual that I think exists in the film, that is related to the silence, and the silence allows a space to take on what they say and to also respond to it in a way and if you disagree with it... there is a space for your voice as well. And I think that's very important.

And the other thing is, there are people who will oppose the film. There was an article this weekend and you know, a lot of people are like... they can't take it. And I think that what I learned from the activists is not to react. Like, when we were filming, and there are people so hostile to them, I wanted to scream and I wanted to confront them, and I wanted to fight. And they were reminding me that it's quiet, that we shouldn't react.

And they also talked about how in real life, sometimes even within their family, people disagree with what they do or their beliefs, and they're trying not to get into a fight and not to argue and to listen. And their voice, hopefully, will crack something and something will sink in. I really believe in that, because obviously we are not all thinking the same. So I hope that we create a dialogue, and we are having many, many screenings in Israel and actually many other places. Of course, in the UK, it's on Sky, but in the US, it's now screening in theatres and in different places around the country as well. So more people hopefully will be able to see.

RT: What has the Oscar nomination meant for the film, especially in terms of reaching a wider audience?

HM: The nomination, of course, is a huge honour – and to be there with all these amazing films in my category, but also with everyone else. But I think first and foremost, it really gives the film this credibility and this push to a much wider audience. The minute it was nominated, suddenly Roadside Attractions released it theatrically. And it's a short film – nobody releases short films, you know!

It's now screening in 352 theatres across the US and Canada. So that's, to me, the most meaningful thing. And also people are just curious. The screenings in Israel are packed, and it basically gives the film a visibility that otherwise it wouldn't get.

And I personally love short films. I feel nowadays we like quick stuff. We like to watch and continue with our life. And also, another really great advantage of short films is that you can actually be part of an event where you screen the film and have a discussion and dialogue with a panel afterwards, still within a reasonable block of time.

But the effect of the nomination gives such a big push that is really incredible. And that's the most important thing: to get the film out there and to get the message out there.

Children No More is available to watch on Sky and NOW in the UK – find out more about how to sign up to Sky.

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