The documentary film “NAZA,” directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received a record-breaking 24.5-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. The 80-minute film examines the systems behind the military acronym used by Israeli intelligence to designate expected civilian casualties in airstrikes, known as “Nezek Agavi” or collateral damage, as reported by Euronews.
The feature focuses on the ongoing Gaza war through interviews with 24 Israeli military intelligence officers, soldiers, and whistleblowers who discuss targeting protocols. The production was shot in secrecy at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv over a three-year period. The film serves as the sole documentary feature in the main competition lineup at Venice, and it builds upon investigative reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian, as noted by Euronews.
Production and Creative Team Behind NAZA
Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor previously co-directed the documentary “No Other Land,” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary and depicted Israeli settler violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, according to Variety and Euronews. “NAZA” is produced by British newspaper The Guardian and James Wilson of JW Films, with “The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer, per Variety.
During a press conference reported by Variety, Abraham discussed the approach used to gather testimony for the project. “We just told these officers and soldiers, please describe to us what you did,” Abraham stated. “And sometimes just asking the question, you get answers.” In a separate interview with Variety, Abraham added that the directors sought to use their access within Israeli society to examine military systems during active conflict.
Festival Reception and Timeline
The 24.5-minute ovation at Venice surpassed the previous record set at the festival last year by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which earned a 22-minute ovation, according to Variety. That film covered the death of a six-year-old girl killed by military fire in Gaza City, and its director serves on this year’s Venice jury led by Maggie Gyllenhaal, per Variety and Euronews.
Following its Venice premiere, “NAZA” is scheduled to screen at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in Spain on September 23 and at the New York Film Festival on September 26, according to Euronews. World sales rights for the film are handled by the French distribution company MK2 Films, as reported by Euronews.