NAZA arrives in the U.S. later this month
As Israeli officials seek to strip its filmmakers of citizenship, the Venice-winning documentary NAZA will open in New York City.
The upcoming documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor from No Other Land, is set to arrive in the United States later this month. Unlike their previous harrowing film about settler violence in Gaza, which faced distribution challenges, NAZA will be self-distributed to avoid distributors hesitant to release a documentary on the subject.
The film will premiere at the IFC Center in New York for the New York Film Festival on September 30 and will subsequently expand to Los Angeles and other markets on October 9.
NAZA's title derives from an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli intelligence acronym for civilian casualties in collateral damage. The filmmakers interviewed 24 Israeli whistleblowers who disclosed how Israel employs AI-powered targeting and surveillance systems for its ongoing war in Gaza, resulting in nearly 60,000 civilian deaths. One whistleblower recounted a case where approval was given to kill 500 civilians to eliminate a single Hamas member.
Despite facing criticism in Israel, with Culture Minister Miki Zohar accusing the directors of "treason against the state," NAZA has been well-received by audiences in its debut at the Venice Film Festival. The film garnered a 25-minute standing ovation and won the Special Jury Prize.
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