NAZA makes North American premiere at New York Film Festival
The documentary NAZA has had its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival, days after winning a special jury prize in Venice. Co-directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor took part in a question-and-answer session with festival director Dennis Lim after the screening, according to Variety. The screening put one of the autumn's most debated documentaries before a United States audience for the first time.
The film presents testimonies from Israeli intelligence officers and whistleblowers about the civilian toll in Gaza, as reported by Reuters. It alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into Israeli military targeting decisions in Gaza. France's AFP news agency has described the film as documenting AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza, an account the Israel Defense Forces has rejected, according to i24NEWS.
At the New York question session, Abraham said it was essential to show the film in the United States because Washington provides billions in funding to the Israeli government and military aid used against Palestinians, Variety reported. He said part of the aim was to make denial of what is happening in Gaza harder. He also said the 7 October massacre was completely unjustified but could not justify the killing of civilians in Gaza.
NAZA first premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a 24.5-minute standing ovation and won a special jury prize, according to Variety. Abraham and Szor shot the film at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv. Abraham criticised the film's detractors during his Venice acceptance speech, i24NEWS reported.
The debut prompted sharp responses in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a law to revoke the citizenship of anyone who slanders soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces, Variety reported. Culture Minister Miki Zohar threatened to revoke the Israeli citizenship of the filmmakers, according to earlier reporting by Variety. Abraham and Szor were accused of treason after the premiere, and members of the film industry publicly expressed support for them, The Guardian reported.
In New York, the Israeli-American Council organised a protest of more than 50 people outside the festival screening, Variety reported.
NAZA was added to the Main Slate, the festival's central selection, on 25 August, organiser Film at Lincoln Center said. The 64th New York Film Festival runs from 25 September to 12 October. The film was produced by The Guardian and James Wilson of JW Films, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer as executive producer, according to Deadline.
It is set for release in more than 50 territories before streaming for free on The Guardian's website, Variety reported. Abraham and Szor previously co-directed No Other Land, which won the documentary Oscar in 2024.
