The documentary is a yes Docu and Einat-Emma Shamir production, co-produced with Neue Celluloid Fabrik Film produktion and SWR, in co-operation with ARTE and directed by Rotem Gross.
Israeli producer and distributor yes Studios has finalised distribution deals, expanding the reach of the critically acclaimed documentary 44 Hours to audiences in the United States, Norway, and New Zealand.
Launched earlier this year, the feature-length documentary will now be available as a TVOD (Transactional Video on Demand) title on Amazon’s Prime Video in the United States. In Norway, NRK has acquired the 1×60 version for its linear channels (NRK1, 2 & 3) and VOD platform. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the feature version has been licensed to DocEdge Virtual Cinema, a year-round viewing platform associated with the influential Doc Edge Festival.
44 Hours unfolds the story of Gil Avni, a sports enthusiast and healthy 33-year-old father of two, who, after suddenly falling ill, was rushed to the hospital. When he is pronounced brain-dead and given only a few hours to live, his family and friends visit to say their goodbyes. What nobody knows – neither the medical team nor his relatives – is that Gil is aware of what is happening around him and can hear every single word, which he memories. The documentary captures his locked-in experience, providing a unique and life-affirming testimony to the rarely witnessed locked-in syndrome.
With only two other known cases worldwide, Gil’s story has far-reaching implications, leading to significant changes in medical ethics and protocols concerning the delicate balance between life and death. The documentary features interviews with Gil, his family, and the medical team that cared for him, offering a profound narrative of resilience and the miraculous journey back from the brink of death.
44 Hours is a production of yes Docu, Rotem Gross, and Einat-Hana Shamir, co-produced with Neue Celluloid Fabrik Filmproduktion and SWR (Germany), in cooperation with ARTE (France). Following its debut on yes TV earlier this year and a Top 10 ranking upon its Netflix launch in Israel, yes Studios manages the global distribution for this documentary.
