An 80-minute documentary examining the Israeli military’s conduct in Gaza has ignited a fierce political and public storm within Israel after winning the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, according to Albawaba. Titled NAZA, the film was directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who were also part of the directorial team behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land. The movie’s title is derived from a military intelligence term used to indicate the number of civilians expected to be killed in an airstrike, according to Albawaba.
Venice Film Festival Win Sparks Outrage in Israel
The documentary is based on anonymous testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders interviewed secretly at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv, according to Albawaba and The Hollywood Reporter. It investigates the bombing campaign in Gaza, target selection systems, and the estimation of expected civilian casualties, including artificial-intelligence-assisted targeting. Produced by The Guardian and JW Films, the project has executive producer Jonathan Glazer, director of The Zone of Interest, among its team.
Political Backlash and Domestic Condemnation
According to Al Jazeera, the backlash has extended beyond politicians to journalists and the public, with graffiti branding the directors as “traitors” appearing on walls in Ashdod, and demands directed at the Shin Bet to investigate the filmmakers. Orly Noy, an editor at Local Call, described the hostile climate, noting that attackers were targeting the friends and families of Abraham and Szor and discussing citizenship revocation.
In response to the documentary, the Israel Defence Forces issued a statement asserting that it categorically rejects
the film’s allegations, criticized the use of unverified anonymous testimonies, and maintained that the military strikes military targets and makes unprecedented efforts to minimize harm to civilians,
as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir further characterized the documentary as an attack on the State of Israel.
Media Landscape and International Release Plans
Commentators and analysts have pointed to Israel’s insular media environment as a key factor in the public shock accompanying the film. Anat Saragusti, the press freedom jurist at the Union of Journalists in Israel, noted that mainstream Israeli outlets did not investigate army conduct during the war or cover it extensively from the Palestinian point of view, according to Al Jazeera. Research by the Israeli think tank Molad cited by Al Jazeera indicated that Channel 12’s coverage of the war’s first six months sparsely featured the humanitarian crisis or Palestinian civilian casualties.
Despite the domestic controversy, the film is moving forward with international distribution. The Hollywood Reporter reported that NAZA is scheduled for a North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 26, followed by an exclusive theatrical launch at the IFC Center in New York City and expansions to Los Angeles and other markets on October 9.
