Netanyahu Film Featuring Leaked Interrogations to Screen in European Parliament

A documentary critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, titled "The Bibi Files," is scheduled for screening at the European Parliament in Brussels on September 29. The film includes previously unpublished video recordings of Netanyahu's police interrogations from 2016-2018, which are subject to Israeli court approval for public dissemination. The screening, organized by the Italian Five Star Movement's delegation to the European Parliament, will occur exactly four weeks before Israel's Knesset elections. Following the film, a discussion will be held with director Alexis Bloom and Italian journalist Giulia Innocenzi, who is involved in the film's distribution in Italy. While the event is not an official European Parliament function, it aims to show the material to MEPs and their staff during Israel's election campaign.

The film's content is largely based on over a thousand hours of investigation materials reportedly received by producer Alex Gibney in 2023 from an anonymous source via Signal. These materials include interrogation recordings of Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and son Yair. The filmmakers, including Oscar-winner Gibney and Israeli journalist Raviv Drucker, worked to select, synchronize, and transcribe the footage. The interrogations reportedly cover topics such as gifts from businessmen and Netanyahu's connections to media owners. The film also features interviews with individuals familiar with Netanyahu, such as former Shin Bet head Ami Ayalon and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as well as state witness Nir Hefetz.

"The Bibi Files" presents a critical political interpretation of Netanyahu's recent years in power, linking his legal and political struggles to key Israeli developments, including political alliances, judicial reform attempts, and wartime actions. The filmmakers' perspective is presented as their interpretation, not established fact in the ongoing legal proceedings against Netanyahu. Netanyahu has consistently denied the charges, asserting that the cases against him are politically motivated.

Legal challenges to the film began before its public release. Netanyahu's attempts to block the screening of investigation materials at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 were unsuccessful. His lawyers also sought an investigation into the leak of the materials. Due to Israeli law restricting the publication of interrogation recordings without court permission, the film has not had a wide commercial release in Israel. Internationally, however, it has gained recognition, screening at festivals like DOC NYC and various European events, and was shortlisted for an Oscar nomination in the documentary category in December 2024.

The Brussels screening precedes further distribution efforts in Europe, with a series of screenings planned in Italy on September 30, also featuring Bloom and Innocenzi.