HBO Max Acquires ‘One Day in October’ Series, Based on Real-Life Accounts of Oct. 7 Attack on Israel

HBO Max has acquired U.S. rights to “One Day in October,” a scripted event series based on first-hand accounts of the Hamas attack on Israel that led to the country’s invasion of Gaza and ignited a war in the Middle East.

The series will debut on Oct. 7, the two-year anniversary of the Nova music festival massacre.

Filmed on location in Israel, “One Day in October” is produced by Fox Entertainment Studios in partnership with Yes TV and in association with Moriah Media. The show is touted as the first real-time scripted portrayal of personal stories from the attack.

Per the logline, the series “presents seven emotionally gripping and artistically interwoven narratives of love, courage, sacrifice and survival. From families torn apart to moments of hope emerging in the face of unspeakable tragedy to incredible bravery against the odds, each episode reveals the human cost and resilience born out of chaos. The series portrays the victims’ and survivors’ experiences of that day and is brought to life by a distinguished cast and acclaimed creative team.”

The cast includes Swell Ariel Or, Noa Kedar, Naomi Levov, Hisham Suliman, Wael Hamdoun, Yuval Semo, Avi Azulay, Naveh Tzur, Yael Abecassis, Moran Rosenblatt, Michael Aloni, Neta Roth, Sean Softi, Lior Ashkenazi and Uri Perelman. “One Day in October” is created by Daniel Finkelman and Oded Davidoff, who also serves as a director and writer on the series.

“The tragic events on October 7th had a profound impact on all of us,” said Fernando Szew, president and head of Fox Entertainment Studios. “From the very beginning, we approached this series with the utmost care, sensitivity and urgency to ensure that the stories were told with authenticity and respect and paying homage to the victims and the heroic survivors. Oded and the incredible cast, crew and teams at Sparks Go, ZOA and Yes TV have truly created compelling storytelling that we are proud to showcase. We appreciate Moriah Media for joining us on this project and to HBO Max for giving ‘One Day in October’ a platform in the U.S.”

Finkelman added: “For me, film and television have always been more than entertainment, they are a way to bear witness. These are stories of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments. In a time when truth is fragile, the most powerful thing we can do is to appeal to humanity itself. My hope is that these stories will open hearts and spark meaningful conversation.”

Writers on the series also include Liron Ben-Shlush, Amir Hasfari, Keren Weissman, Orit Dabush and Yona Rozenkier. Finkelman leads the production with Chaya Amor, Aviv Ben-Shlush, Lee Ben-Shlush Kuperman and Fox Entertainment’s Szew. Jim Berk and Sheldon Rabinowitz are executive producers.