Venice Film Festival adds Gaza doc ‘NAZA’ to competition lineup

The Venice Film Festival has announced the inclusion of a new documentary, "NAZA," in its main competition lineup. Directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, "NAZA" sheds light on the civilian impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The film, produced by The Guardian and other collaborators, features nighttime footage from Tel Aviv rooftops and centers on the loss of Palestinian lives.

This marks the sole documentary competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award at this year's festival. "NAZA" draws upon reporting conducted between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, and The Guardian. The project's origins trace back to 2019 and 2023, concluding just days prior to Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

The film's development was influenced by the heightened awareness of the conflict during the previous year's festival, when a sizable pro-Palestinian protest took place during a peak evening. Additionally, the subject matter was prominently featured in Kaouther Ben Hania's winning film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which received the Silver Lion award.

Ben Hania is among a group of jurors led by Maggie Gyllenhaal, responsible for selecting the award winners at the festival, set to commence on September 2, with winners announced on September 12.