Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor have stunned audiences at the 83rd Venice Film Festival with 'NAZA', a chilling documentary exposing the Israeli military's systemic approach to civilian casualties in Gaza.
- 'NAZA' received a historic 24-minute standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival.
- The film features testimonies from 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers.
- It exposes a systemic 'killing machine' that has resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths.
- Produced by The Guardian and executive produced by Oscar-winner Jonathan Glazer.
The 83rd edition of the Venice International Film Festival witnessed a moment of profound emotional and political intensity on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The world premiere of 'NAZA', a documentary directed by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was met with a staggering 24-minute standing ovation, signaling the film's visceral impact on the international community.
The documentary is not merely a cinematic piece but a rigorous act of investigative journalism. Drawing from reports published between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian, the film was shot in complete secrecy on rooftops in Tel Aviv over a period of three years. To protect the identities of the sources, the filmmakers employed digital alterations to the voices and appearances of the subjects.
At the heart of the film are 24 whistleblowers from the Israeli military and intelligence services. These individuals, speaking under strict anonymity, provided a detailed blueprint of the operations conducted in Gaza. Director Yuval Abraham explained that the filmmakers focused on the technicality of the actions—asking officers to 'sketch' how the system worked—rather than focusing solely on individual guilt or remorse.
BozokMedia analysis shows that 'NAZA' represents a critical shift in wartime documentation. By utilizing internal whistleblowers rather than external observers, the film strips away the veneer of military necessity to reveal a calculated system. The title itself, 'NAZA', is a military acronym used as shorthand for civilian casualties, effectively dehumanizing the victims into a code. This focus on the 'system' over 'emotion' forces the viewer to confront the structural nature of the violence.
"The core of the film is a system of killing that has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza—and the way the world allowed it to happen."
The filmmakers' approach was heavily influenced by Jonathan Glazer, the director of 'The Zone of Interest', who served as the executive producer for 'NAZA'. Glazer's philosophy—that victims can be out of the frame but never out of mind—is evident in the film's construction. The production is a collaboration between The Guardian and British producer James Wilson of JW Films.
Abraham and Szor are no strangers to provocative storytelling. They were previously among the directors of the 2025 Best Documentary winner 'No Other Land', which highlighted the struggle of Palestinian activists against military demolitions. Their body of work continues to challenge national narratives through a lens of shared humanity and accountability.
Q1: What does the title 'NAZA' signify?
A: 'NAZA' is an Israeli military acronym used as shorthand to refer to civilian casualties, including women and children.
Q2: Who are the primary sources for the documentary?
A: The film is based on interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers and investigative reports from The Guardian and +972 Magazine.
