A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting

2021

1 hr. 20 min.

Documentary

List

100%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

On October 27, 2018, a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing eleven people as they prayed, in what would become the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. A TREE OF LIFE: THE PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING is a deeply personal portrait of the survivors, victims and their family members, who share their harrowing first-hand accounts of the impact of the shooting on the community. The film is rooted in a community in the aftermath of a violent attack, as they work to rebuild and heal. Despite core differences, they come together to determine what justice looks like and how to best move forward while honoring and learning from the past. The film sheds light on the collective trauma suffered by a tight-knit group and brings into sharp focus the hate-based rhetoric that surrounds many of the mass shootings today, threatening the fabric of our society.

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greg r

Believe me, I don't lightly rate low an important documentary like this one. It simply was too long. I eventually shut it off. The story is incredibly important. Especially now, as this nation is becoming more and more fractured. I wish the filmmaker would have delved a little deeper into the individuals who were lost, instead of concentrating so much on those left behind.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Jacob F

Heart wrenching. Uplifting. Imperative. Beautifully and elegantly done portrait of a community on a path towards healing. A must watch for ANY human being!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/07/22

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Trish Adlesic

Director

Carol Black

Self

Joseph Charny

Self

Anthony Fienberg

Self

Audrey Glickman

Self

Daniel Leger

Self

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

While it’s less concerned about the causes than the effects of that attack, its anguish is overpowering.

Nov 8, 2022

Full Review

Melanie McFarland

Salon.com

The main takeaway from A Tree of Life is the awe-inspiring resilience of the people who lived through the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States.

Oct 26, 2022

Full Review

Angie Han

Hollywood Reporter

By focusing on intimate firsthand accounts over hard-nosed analysis or shocking new details, it brings forth the humanity of those impacted by the incident, refusing to let them be reduced to statistics or defined by tragedy.

Oct 26, 2022

Full Review

Hannah Brown

Jerusalem Post

What you will remember most from the film is the dignity of the survivors and victims’ families in the face of heartbreaking loss.

Nov 4, 2022

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Wayne Broadway

Black Girl Nerds

'A Tree of Life' succeeds largely because, while it is necessarily a tough viewing, it is extremely hopeful. It briefly looks at 20th-century American antisemitism. But it also shines a light on solidarity.

Rated: 3.5/5

Oct 31, 2022

Full Review

Chauncey K. Robinson

People's World

It offers warnings to heed in the aftermath and beyond. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles to this film, but the simplicity allows viewers to focus on the stories told and the humans who tell them.

Rated: A

Oct 28, 2022

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Synopsis

On October 27, 2018, a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing eleven people as they prayed, in what would become the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. A TREE OF LIFE: THE PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING is a deeply personal portrait of the survivors, victims and their family members, who share their harrowing first-hand accounts of the impact of the shooting on the community. The film is rooted in a community in the aftermath of a violent attack, as they work to rebuild and heal. Despite core differences, they come together to determine what justice looks like and how to best move forward while honoring and learning from the past. The film sheds light on the collective trauma suffered by a tight-knit group and brings into sharp focus the hate-based rhetoric that surrounds many of the mass shootings today, threatening the fabric of our society.

Director: Trish Adlesic
Executive Producer: Michael Keaton, Billy Porter, Mark Cuban, D.J. Gugenheim, Geeta Gandbhir, Elliott Joseph, Lloyd Myers, Lauran Bromley, Michele Fetting, Charlie Friday, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller
Screenwriter: Trish Adlesic
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 26, 2022