Every Step You Take
Filmmaker:
Noa Gusakov
Producer:
Leah Tonic
Production Company:
Leah Tonic
Country:
Israel
Language:
Hebrew
Genre:
Coming of Age
Lab Edition:
14
,
2026


SHORT SYNOPSIS
Elinor and Sharona are best friends bound by an intense, codependent bond. When Elinor's mother forces a US relocation to help evade the military draft, the girls refuse to part and decide to do whatever it takes to stay in Israel. Escaping to a desert rave to sabotage the move, Sharona gets in trouble, spiraling their night into high stakes. Meanwhile, their contrasting mothers unite to track them down, forcing Elinor to realize that breaking this bond is her path to freedom.
DIRECTOR'S NOTE
Standing at the equator between the teenager I was and the mother I am today, I set out to write this intimate coming-of-age dramedy. As a teen, my friends were my anchor, and my mother was the enemy; I constantly searched for a female role model to guide me. Through this film, I capture the raw, physical tension of youth - between an overbearing mother and an intensely codependent best friend - asking whether a tight, suffocating embrace isolates us or keeps us safe.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Noa Gusakov is an award-winning Israeli film director, screenwriter, and Sam Spiegel Film and TV School graduate. She won the Israeli Academy Award for Best Directing and Writing in a Children’s Series, alongside two nominations for her acclaimed shorts "How to Swim" and "Large Soldier". Her narrative short films have screened and won awards internationally. She is an alumna of prestigious artists' residencies including MacDowell, Yaddo, and Berlinale Talents. "Every Step You Take" is her debut feature film.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
PRODUCER:
Leah Tonic



Leah Tonic is an Israeli producer with over a decade of experience in independent cinema, specializing in acclaimed auteur-driven productions. Her work includes award-winning films screened at leading international festivals, including Cannes, San Sebastián, Toronto, Palm Springs, and Tribeca. Alongside her producing career, she has served as Project Manager for the Israeli Academy of Film and Television, lectures in production at the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School, and leads major cultural initiatives that connect cinema, education, and social impact. A graduate of the Sam Spiegel School, Leah has received recognition as one of Israel's most influential young changemakers. She is committed to developing bold cinematic voices and supporting original, socially engaged storytelling from script to screen.
PRODUCTION COMPANY PROFILE
○ Leah Tonic Productions
○ 5 Dror st, Mitzpe Abirim, Israel
○ leahtonic@gmail.com
○ +972-507114707
PRODUCTION BUDGET
○ Total budget: 500,000 USD
LANGUAGE
Hebrew
Genre
Coming of Age

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