No Other Land directors’ documentary on Israel’s ‘calculated mass killing’ to premiere at Venice

Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, part of the four-person team behind the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, are set to premiere their latest film, Naza, at the Venice Film Festival. Scheduled for a world premiere on September 10, Naza will be the only documentary feature competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award, completing the festival's 21-film lineup.

The film, set in Tel Aviv, uncovers the systems behind Israel's calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, drawing on investigative reports from +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian. One of the key findings detailed in the film stems from a 2024 report by Israeli intelligence officers, which alleged the use of an AI-powered system called Lavender to target 37,000 individuals suspected of links to militant groups.

Despite these claims, the Israeli military has previously rejected the allegations. Naza, produced by The Guardian and British producer James Wilson, with Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer, joins a Venice programme that already features works by two other Palestinian directors, Ahmed Hassouna and Muayad Alayan.