After her father is murdered and cousin taken hostage on October 7, a teenager from Kibbutz Be'eri records a video that takes her on an unexpected journey, grappling with grief, an unfinished bond with her father, and who she wants to become now that the world she knew is gone.
Before October 7, Ela Shani Kozin was a fourteen-year-old girl living in Kibbutz Be'eri, a small community in southern Israel, less than five kilometers from the Gaza border. On that morning, more than a hundred residents were murdered. Among them was Ela's father, Itzik Kozin. Her sixteen-year-old cousin, Amit, was taken hostage.
Meeting Ela follows an extraordinary teenager whose instinctive response to tragedy is connection. As she travels with hostage families across the United States and enters worlds far removed from her own, she discovers the power of her voice. The tension between public responsibility and private grief runs through every frame.
As the world around her grows more polarized, Ela keeps reaching out. Even to those who disagree. Her journey continues to Europe, retracing her family's history, speaking before leaders in Brussels, and sitting down with young voices who see the world through an entirely different lens. At the heart of this chapter is her determination to build bridges and find human connection, even with people who see the world differently.
Underlying the public story is a more intimate one: a daughter coming of age in the shadow of an unfinished relationship with the father she lost. What begins as a fight to bring her cousin home evolves into a deeper search for identity, belonging, and meaning.
Meeting Ela
Press Kit · July 2026
I did not expect this film to become so personal. I began filming Ela believing I was documenting an extraordinary young girl. Over time, I realized I was also confronting my own questions about grief, identity, and the relationships that continue to evolve long after the people we love are gone. Having experienced profound loss of my own, I recognized parts of myself in Ela's journey. It allowed me to approach the film as someone listening from within.
- Noa Goren Zahavi
Israeli-born actress, voice artist, writer, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. After a successful career in theater and more than a decade of voice work for major studios including Disney, Warner Bros., and Pixar, she shifted her focus toward original storytelling and filmmaking. Following October 7, she co-founded US Forum for Israel. Meeting Ela is her first feature documentary.
Israeli filmmaker, editor, and writer with extensive experience across documentary films, factual television, commercials, music videos, and scripted content. Has collaborated with leading Israeli production companies and networks, contributing to award-winning documentary projects.
Israeli-born filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His feature Final Draft screened at international festivals with strong Variety reviews. Founded Rubber Sole Creative, a post-production studio working with major studios and streamers, with Clio, GTA, and GEMA awards. Editing craft honed at Sony Pictures.
Israeli filmmaker, producer, and director with over two decades of experience. Her documentary Miseder Ad Seder won an award at the Haifa International Film Festival. Credits span Israel's major networks. Holds a degree in Behavioral Sciences from Bar-Ilan University.
"Meeting Ela understands that its greatest subject is not the war, but the girl herself."
"Ela emerges as a powerful cinematic character, capable of carrying a feature-length film. The emotional and narrative potential of the project is exceptional."
Meeting Ela
Press Kit · July 2026
Meeting Ela is more than a film. It is a tool for dialogue, education, and human connection in an era of deepening division.
University and high school screenings with moderated discussions on grief, identity, and cross-cultural dialogue. Curriculum guides developed with educators.
Screenings for civic organizations, interfaith groups, and communities affected by conflict. A catalyst for conversations about empathy and bridge-building.
Targeting premiere at a top-tier international documentary festival (2027), followed by theatrical, broadcast, and streaming distribution.
55 shoot days across Israel and the United States. Ela's advocacy journey, public appearances, and intimate family moments.
Filming Ela's journey to Europe to retrace her family's history, and conversations with young people whose worldview differs profoundly from her own.
Story development, rough cut, fine cut.
Sound design, original score, color.
International festival premiere and release.
Meeting Ela is seeking completion funding to finish filming in Europe and carry the film through post-production to festival release. All contributions are fully tax-deductible under U.S. law through our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
$500+
Special Thanks credit, production updates, early screener
$5,000+
Associate Producer credit, world premiere invitation
$25,000+
EP credit, private meeting, VIP festival access, name on website
For foundations and organizations seeking deeper involvement:
info@meetingela.com · meetingela.com
US Forum for Israel · 501(c)(3) · EIN: 93-4071343
All contributions are fully tax-deductible under U.S. law