New Documentary 'NAZA' Receives Record-Breaking Ovation at Venice Film Festival

The new documentary "NAZA," by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, received a standing ovation lasting 24.5 minutes at its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. This duration sets a new all-time record for applause at the festival, surpassing the previous record of 22 minutes set last year. The film, which Abraham and Shore describe as an examination of "the systems behind the calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel," was produced under challenging conditions, including secret nighttime filming and exterior shots from Tel Aviv rooftops.

"NAZA" features interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers who served in the recent Gaza conflict. Its content is also based on investigations published by Israeli outlets "+972 Magazine" and "Local Call," as well as reports in The Guardian. The film's title, "NAZA," is an IDF military acronym for "collateral damage," referring to the estimated number of uninvolved civilians expected to be killed in a specific airstrike.

Jonathan Glazer, the Oscar-winning British director of "The Zone of Interest," served as an executive producer for "NAZA." He was seen embracing Abraham and Shore during the prolonged applause. The Israeli directors appeared emotional, with tears visible during the ovation, as did many audience members. Some attendees waved Palestinian flags.

The film was added to the Venice competition lineup late, after the festival's official program had already been announced. Abraham and Shore explained this was due to the final editing being completed only recently, after three years of intensive work. The filmmakers previously directed the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," which documented Israeli government efforts to expel Palestinians from their homes in the southern West Bank.

Abraham stated in an interview prior to the premiere that as Israelis, they felt compelled to use their unique access to people within their society who served in the military to "closely examine this system while it is carrying out what all human rights organizations in the world say is actually genocide."