‘NAZA’ Co-Director Yuval Abraham Calls Out the U.S. Government for ‘Funding’ Israel’s Destruction of Gaza, Telling NYFF Audience: ‘This Is What Your Country Is Supporting’
The Gaza documentary “NAZA” made its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival to a massive standing ovation for co-directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor who gave a brief Q&A with festival director Dennis Lim after the screening. Journalist and co-director Abraham told the crowd, many of whom were still drying their eyes […]
During the New York Film Festival's premiere of the documentary "NAZA," co-director Yuval Abraham highlighted the significance of presenting the film to an American audience, stressing that the U.S. government finances the Israeli military actions in Gaza shown in the film. Abraham pointed out during the screening, as quoted by Variety, that the documentary exposes the utilization of taxpayer funds from those present in the audience, emphasizing the necessity of highlighting the consequences of such actions.
Joined on stage by co-director Rachel Szor and NYFF director Dennis Lim for a post-screening Q&A, Abraham stressed the film's objective to make the reality of Gaza's situation less dismissible. The film delves into the ongoing conflict, presenting insights from concealed IDF officials and soldiers, including testimony from an officer who admits that the IDF approved an airstrike capable of killing 500 Palestinians—claiming that the IDF subsequently denied.
The documentary adopts its title from a military term utilized by the IDF to determine the anticipated number of civilians killed as collateral damage in airstrikes. "NAZA" reunites Abraham and Szor, who previously collaborated on the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," which explored settler violence in the West Bank and tackled similar subjects.
Backed by the Guardian and mk2, the film made its debut at the Venice Film Festival, where it received the festival’s Special Jury Prize. Following its premiere, Israel's government attempted to strip Szor and Abraham of their citizenship, with the cultural minister issuing a statement warning that anyone opposing Israel during wartime faces repercussions.
"NAZA" is set to open at the IFC Center in New York City on Wednesday, followed by an expanded release in other U.S. cities starting October 9 as part of a self-distributed strategy. Producers have plans to stage theatrical screenings in 55 additional territories, including the occupied Palestinian territories, before launching a free, worldwide release on The Guardian’s website in late November.
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