A film about two Israeli siblings who returned from Hamas captivity in Gaza after being abducted at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 screened in New York City on Monday, two days before representing Israel at the News and Documentary International Emmy Awards ceremony in Manhattan.

“Sister & Brother in Hamas Captivity” by award-winning director Yoram Zak is an episode of “Uvda,” Israel’s leading investigative and current affairs television program from Keshet Media Group. The episode was nominated in the category of current affairs and competed against nominees from Brazil, India, and the United Kingdom.

The “Uvda” episode is about Maya and Itay Regev, siblings from Herzilya who were kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists during their rampage across southern Israel, in which they murdered 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages. At the Nova Festival alone, nearly 400 people were killed and approximately 40 others kidnapped.

Zak spoke to the Regev siblings about their captivity for the “Uvda” episode, but prior to their return home, Zak’s film crew followed their parents, Mirit and Ilan Regev, starting from the 10th day of their children’s captivity until the whole family was reunited.

The Regev siblings were kidnapped along with their friends Omer Shem-Tov, who remains in Hamas captivity and turned 21 in late October, and Ori Danino, 25. On Sept. 1, the Israel Defense Forces announced Danino’s death and the recovery of his body from a Hamas tunnel in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. There are still 101 hostages that remain in Hamas captivity, 97 of whom were kidnapped on Oct. 7.

In the “Uvda” episode. Maya, 21, and Itay, 19, also talked about the days leading up to the Oct. 7 massacre. The siblings vacationed in Mexico with their family for three weeks in late September and early October last year. They shared with Zak photos and videos from their fun-filled trip to Mexico before they landed back in Israel on Oct. 6 in the evening. The next day, they went with friends to the Nova Music Festival.

Among other things discussed in the “Uvda” episode, the Regev siblings talked about passing notes to each other during captivity when they were separated, which gave them strength to survive. Itay explained how he was held captive in the same room as Shem-Tov and together they managed to say the Jewish prayer over wine and bread every Friday, in honor of Shabbat, by reserving some grape juice and pretzels given by their captors. Maya talked about befriending another Hamas hostage who ultimately died beside her in captivity, complications with her leg injury while held in Gaza, and staying optimistic that she would return to Israel to her family.

Maya and Italy were among 105 civilians released from captivity in Gaza during a weeklong truce in late November between Israel and Hamas. Both were shot in the legs by terrorists on Oct. 7.

The Regev siblings, their father, and Zak attended the screening of “Sister & Brother in Hamas Captivity” in New York City on Monday that was hosted by The Jewish National Fund and the Israeli Consulate. They participated in a Q&A after the screening. Also in attendance was Noa Argamani, a former Hamas hostage abducted on Oct. 7 who was rescued by the IDF in June.

Maya explained to the audience that she had eight surgeries on her left leg upon returning to Israel and had to undergo many months of physical therapy and other treatments to regain her ability to fully walk again. Zak, who is the producer of the “Big Brother” television series in Israel, said that Monday’s screening was the first time he had seen her walk unassisted.

Zak explained that the goal of the film is to bring awareness to what Israelis experienced on Oct. 7. Maya talked about having a hard time moving on with her life when so many hostages are still in captivity, and that she will continue to do what she can to bring awareness to the suffering that the hostages have experienced since Oct. 7.

“I know that they would do the same for me and I know what they’re going through,”she said. “I know they are in pain, they are starving, they are tired, scared, all the emotions. And we [Italy and I] are the best people to know what’s really going on and maybe people also want to listen to us. So I can affect people. I think it’s really important. It’s really hard, but I know everyone else would do it for me so I know I have to do it for them.”

Maya and Itay both said the hardest and most surprising part about coming back to Israel after being held hostage in Gaza was that so many people knew who they were — a newfound fame they wish they didn’t have. Itay talked in Hebrew about being overwhelmed with all the love and support he got from fellow Israelis upon returning to Israel, which he described as the highest high after experiencing the lowest low while being in Gaza. He said he feels like he has lived two lives — his life before Oct. 7 and his life after the Hamas terrorist attacks.

“I didn’t choose this, [but] everyone comes to me in the street and asks to hug me, and kiss me, and take photos with me and it’s really weird,” Maya said. “This is the hardest part, because every time somebody comes to me, it’s a reminder that I went through something horrible. And I don’t need that reminder. I already know that. My wish is that everybody would walk past me and smile or something, and that’s it.”

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