Full Breakdown
NAZA Documentary: Global Release, Israeli Government Threats, and International Response
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Film Release and Government Reaction
The documentary NAZA, co-directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival on September 12, 2026. The film opens in more than 50 territories on September 28, 2026, with a North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 26, 2026 and a wider U.S. rollout on October 9.
Soon after Venice, Culture Minister Miki Zohar accused the directors of “treason” and called for revocation of their citizenship. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to introduce legislation stripping citizenship from anyone who “defames” Israeli soldiers. Protesters gathered outside the directors’ families’ homes, and graffiti labeling them “traitors” appeared in Ashdod on September 15, 2026.
Background & Context
NAZA draws on three years of investigative reporting by *The Guardian*, +972 Magazine, and Local Call (2023-2025). It features anonymized testimony from 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers describing the use of AI systems—called “Lavender”—to calculate civilian casualty quotas, a practice the filmmakers label “NAZA” (the Hebrew military acronym for “collateral damage”). The directors previously won the Academy Award for Best Documentary for No Other Land (2025).
Data & Statistics
- 24 anonymous military and intelligence interviewees.
- Film length: 80 minutes; standing ovation at Venice lasted 25 minutes, a festival record.
- Reported civilian death tolls range from “tens of thousands” to “more than 73,000” Palestinians.
- The International Documentary Association (IDA) letter has attracted 250+ signatories, including actors Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo.
- Over 1,500 Israeli filmmakers signed a petition defending freedom of expression; 43 Israeli human-rights groups issued a joint statement urging an end to intimidation.
Official Statements & Responses
The IDA urged the Israeli government to withdraw threats to revoke the directors’ citizenship and to respect source protection under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Culture Minister Zohar labeled the documentary “defamation” and sought an investigation that could lead to citizenship revocation. Netanyahu’s proposed bills would (i) revoke citizenship for anyone who defames soldiers and (ii) increase statutory defamation damages twentyfold.
An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson rejected the film’s allegations, describing the testimonies as “unverified, anonymous claims” and affirming that targeting decisions are made by human commanders in accordance with international law.
The Guardian announced that, after the theatrical run, NAZA will be streamed worldwide for free on its website in late November.
Criticism & Opposition
International filmmakers have condemned the Israeli government’s response.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the civilian death toll cited in the film. Neither figure is independently verified, leaving the precise scale of casualties unconfirmed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I know there is enormous demand to watch the film, and I hope that in this way, everyone will soon be able to see it: whether in cinemas or online in a few weeks,” — Yuval Abraham
- “The first, to revoke the citizenship of anyone who defames [Israeli] soldiers, and the second to hit them in their pockets and increase the statutory damages for defamation they can be sued for by 20 times,” — Benjamin Netanyahu
- “We made this film out of a sense of obligation to use our position as Israelis to examine the systems behind the mass killing of Palestinian civilians for which our country is responsible,” — Yuval Abraham