Israel Demands Immediate Screening of Controversial Film 'Nezah' Ahead of European Screenings

The Israeli Cinema Council has called for an immediate screening of the film 'Nezah' within Israel, following its upcoming release in Europe. The Council expressed strong suspicions that the film is "fabricated propaganda," citing the refusal to screen it domestically and withhold it from professional review as reasons for their concern. They further stated that this secrecy raises fears the film serves Israel's enemies, particularly Hamas, and exploits the sacrifices of IDF soldiers and fallen heroes.

The controversy surrounds the film's win at the Venice Film Festival, with screenings already scheduled in Spain and the Netherlands. One screening in Delft, Netherlands, is set for October 7, 2026, a date of national mourning in Israel. Only 12 tickets have reportedly been sold for this event. In the Netherlands, screenings are slated to begin October 1, 2026, in multiple cities. In Spain, the film is set to premiere at the San Sebastian festival on September 23, with additional screenings planned.

In parallel, Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has appealed to the head of the Shin Bet security agency, David Zini, requesting an official investigation into the film's creators. Zohar also indicated that the possibility of revoking their Israeli citizenship is being considered, citing a clause in the Citizenship Law that allows for the cancellation of citizenship due to "breach of loyalty to the State of Israel."

Zohar's letter to the Shin Bet head specifically requested an examination of the sources, testimonies, and materials used to create the film, as well as the circumstances under which the creators obtained them. He noted that the creators claim the film is based on testimonies from Israeli military and intelligence personnel, but their identities are concealed, and the testimonies are anonymous, making it impossible to verify the sources' identities, roles, or the credibility of the information.