Documentary 'NAZA' opens in US theatres after Venice Special Jury Prize

Mixed · 2'NAZA', directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, began its US run at New York's IFC Center on Wednesday 30 September, after a New York Film Festival screening and a Special Jury Prize at its Venice premiere. 1 2 Mixed · 2The film got a record 25-minute standing ovation at Venice. 1 2 Mixed · 2The film consists of night-time interviews on Tel Aviv rooftops with Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers, filmed with faces hidden and voices altered. It has no narration or archive footage of strikes. Deadline counts 24 interviewees. 1 2

Mixed · 2Its title is the Hebrew acronym for 'collateral damage'. The interviewees describe how many civilian deaths were deemed acceptable when targeting suspected militants, and one says an operation against a single Hamas militant was approved with 500 civilian deaths anticipated. They also describe AI tools used to generate targets. 1 2 Mixed · 2The Israeli military has 'categorically' denied the filmmakers' findings and issued a lengthy rebuttal. It says its orders clearly distinguish militants from civilians, that it acknowledges using AI but intelligence officers select targets and operational commanders decide on strikes, and that many interviewees seemed unaware of the wider targeting process. AP reports it also threatened to track down the soldiers who spoke. 2 1 Mixed · 2Reports differ on who threatened the filmmakers' citizenship. AP says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the film antisemitic and a Cabinet minister threatened to strip the filmmakers of citizenship. Deadline, which calls Netanyahu Israel's 'President', says he threatened to revoke their citizenship and to legislate against criticising the armed forces. Abraham fears he cannot return home, and Deadline says the pair are currently in neither the US nor Israel. 2 1

Mixed · 2Abraham says the film is vetted and truthful. Both reports note that much of its content overlaps with earlier reporting, which AP attributes to +972 Magazine, Local Call and The Guardian. The Guardian co-produced the film, with James Wilson's JW Films and executive producer Jonathan Glazer. Abraham hopes it will make denial of events in Gaza 'a little bit harder'. 2 1 Mixed · 2Box office and release: Deadline says most early shows sold out and the film was heading for more than $70,000 in its first five days, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from 32 reviews. It reports a €1.81 million ($2.1 million) opening in Italy and sales deals in 56 markets through mk2 films. It expands to 60-plus theatres in over 30 markets, and AP names Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle from 9 October. There is no traditional US distributor, and The Guardian plans free streaming, which Deadline dates at six to eight weeks away and AP puts in late November. 1 2 Right · 1AP says the release is likely to revive debate over US military aid to Israel ahead of US congressional elections and Israeli elections at the end of the month. It cites an academic study that found at least $21.7 billion in US military assistance in the war's first two years. Abraham says much of what the film describes 'was done with American taxpayer money'. 2

Mixed · 2Context: Abraham and Szor previously made 'No Other Land' with Palestinian colleagues, which won an Oscar and grossed over $2.5 million. The Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Documentary Association condemned the threats against the filmmakers, and over 2,000 people signed a petition backing them. The Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023 killed about 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage. Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel's offensive has killed over 74,000 Palestinians. 2 1