Israeli Documentary's Venice Win Sparks Outrage and Accusations of Betrayal
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
The Israeli documentary "Nezah" won a prize at the Venice Film Festival, leading to widespread condemnation in Israel from politicians and the public. Critics accused the filmmakers of betrayal and self-hatred, with some calling for their citizenship to be revoked.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli documentary "Nezah" won a prize at Venice Film Festival.
- The film's win sparked widespread public outrage in Israel.
- Critics called the film "despicable" and a "betrayal of the country."
- Some called for the filmmakers' Israeli citizenship to be revoked.
- Critics accused the film of ignoring the October 7th attacks.
An Israeli documentary titled "Nezah," created by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, has won the Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, sparking significant public backlash in Israel. The film reportedly features testimonies from soldiers about the IDF's operations and fighting mechanisms in Gaza.
Public figures and cultural personalities immediately condemned the award. Gideon Sa'ar, a former minister, vehemently attacked the film, calling it "despicable" and a "betrayal of the country." He attributed the win to the creators' "burning self-hatred" aimed at gaining favor with "antisemitic elements." Sa'ar stated that this is precisely why he pushed for cinema reforms, to prevent Israeli taxpayers from funding works that harm IDF soldiers and Israel. He vowed to immediately act, as Minister of Culture, to revoke the creators' Israeli citizenship for treason.
Actor Yossi Marshek criticized the film for ignoring the October 7th Hamas attacks, calling it an "unimaginable shame." He expressed a desire for Palestinian documentarians to tell their people's truth and found the film unwatchable due to its omission of the attacks on Israel. Activist Yusuf Haddad claimed the film slanders the IDF and serves enemy propaganda, while photographer Yoav Eliasi labeled it a "propaganda attack" akin to an atomic bomb and called for an investigation by the Shin Bet security agency into the directors.
Public reactions on social media echoed the outrage, with many demanding the creators' citizenship be revoked. Some commenters suggested deporting the directors or sending them to Gaza, while others questioned why a film about the children murdered on October 7th had not been produced. These reactions often cited the biblical verse "From your destroyers and your devastators shall come forth from you," and asserted that the festival win was solely due to global antisemitism.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Left 2Centre 8Right 5Arab 4Other 4
