When film producer Nancy Spielberg, who is Shabbat observant, saw the call from her similarly observant daughter on the morning of October 7, 2023, she knew something was wrong.   

Spielberg, who splits her time between New York City and Israel, was in her Jerusalem apartment in the German Colony. Her daughter, Jessica Katz, was calling from her home in Tel Aviv to warn her about the attacks in the South and to get a weapon and go to her safe room, Spielberg recalled in a recent Zoom interview. She spent the following awful hour and days closely monitoring the unfolding crisis.

“The first footage that started to come out on social media was uncensored,” Spielberg said, “and it just alters your life because you can never not see it again.”

Spielberg, 69, knows a thing or two about unforgettable footage, so when the initial fear and fog of the attack lifted enough for her to act, she decided to redouble the efforts to which she had already dedicated her life.

Filmmaking is in Spielberg’s blood, not just as the youngest sister of Steven Spielberg, whose films she has worked on as cast, crew and consultant, but also as head of Playmount Productions, which makes documentaries and features with a Jewish focus. In addition, she is the co-founder of the nonprofit Jewish Story Partners, which supports other documentarians telling Jewish stories.

Among the many award-winning documentaries Spielberg has produced are Above and Beyond, about Jewish American World War II pilots who helped found Israel’s Air Force and fought in the War of Independence; Vishniac, which explored the Russian photographer who chronicled pre-Holocaust Jewish Europe; and Closed Circuit, about a 2016 terror attack in Tel Aviv.

There is a through line between these projects and Spielberg’s latest, A Letter to David, which focuses on Israeli hostage David Cunio (see story here). This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

How did you get involved in A Letter to David?

Jake Paltrow, a family friend, texted me and said, “You need to talk to Tom Shoval about a project he’s working on.”  Tom started telling me about the story, and I realized this is the film I need to get behind. Plus, I fell in love with Tom—he reminded me of my brother.

How does being a Spielberg affect your approach to this project and the mission behind it?

We used to joke about the “S bomb,” which is the Spielberg name. Sometimes people see the name and they take a second look. I never used it to further a career or anything like that. Never. But now, if I can get attention for the right reasons, then I’ll use it. It is my last name.

How has the film been received by audiences?

We were hoping for a premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February and were thrilled when the new head said yes. Everybody warned us to be prepared for no-shows and disruptions, but it turned out to be an incredible experience. Opening night, the head of the festival and other big people stood on the red carpet holding David’s picture.

On the other hand, we were suddenly disinvited from a festival in the United Kingdom, with all kinds of reasons like “we feel it would be unsafe, we think it’ll hurt our festival’s reputation.” And this is happening in lots of places. I’m not surprised, but I’m still hurt and disappointed. We will do other things to be seen in places where we’re not wanted. We’re not going to quit. We’re going to continue to push wherever we can. 

Avi Dresner is a journalist, documentarian and screenwriter. He lives in the Berkshires with his family.