Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham’s documentary, NAZA, which sheds light on Israel’s alleged utilization of AI-enhanced military technology to target and eliminate Palestinian civilians in Gaza, received an extraordinary 24.5-minute standing ovation during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The filmmakers were visibly moved, with Abraham seen wiping away tears, as the audience erupted in applause for the film, based on the accounts of 24 Israeli military insiders.
The ovation for NAZA surpassed previous records, including the 24-minute reception for The Voice of Hind Rajab at the previous year’s festival and the 22-minute ovation for Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth at Cannes in 2006. Director Kaouther Ben Hania and producer Nadim Cheikhrouha of The Voice of Hind Rajab were also present during the screening.
In a covert operation conducted over three years in Tel Aviv, NAZA features interviews with Israeli military personnel whose identities are concealed. The film alleges the use of surveillance systems and AI intelligence to pinpoint Hamas targets for airstrikes, regardless of the presence of civilian families, including women and children, inside the buildings.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responded to the allegations, stating they “categorically reject” them and criticizing the reliance on anonymous testimonies that cannot be verified. They emphasized that decisions to strike targets are solely made by humans, with concerted efforts to minimize harm to civilians during military operations.
NAZA, named after an acronym used by the Israeli military for civilian casualties, serves as a companion piece to Abraham and Szor’s previous documentary, No Other Land, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2025.
The film also received executive production from Jonathan Glazer, who faced backlash following his 2024 Oscar acceptance speech for The Zone of Interest, where he condemned the Israel-Hamas conflict. The ongoing violence in Gaza was highlighted by Abraham, who emphasized the systemic nature of the situation and the importance of showcasing insider testimonies to reveal the realities of the conflict.