Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham premiered their documentary, “NAZA,” at the Venice Film Festival, showcasing Israel’s alleged deployment of AI-powered military technology to target and eliminate Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The film garnered a record-breaking 24.5-minute standing ovation. Video footage captured the emotional reactions of the Israeli filmmakers, with Abraham visibly moved to tears, as the audience applauded the film based on testimonies from 24 Israeli military insiders.
According to reports, this ovation surpasses previous records at the Venice Film Festival, with films like “The Voice of Hind Rajab” and “Pan’s Labyrinth” receiving significant acclaim. Director Kaouther Ben Hania, a juror at this year’s festival, and producer Nadim Cheikhrouha were present during the ovation, as some audience members displayed Palestinian and Lebanese flags in solidarity.
Filmed covertly over three years in Tel Aviv, “NAZA” presents interviews with Israeli military personnel whose identities remain concealed. The documentary alleges the use of surveillance systems and AI intelligence to target Hamas members, regardless of the presence of civilian families, including women and children, in the vicinity.
In response, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) issued a statement refuting the allegations, emphasizing that decisions to strike targets are made by humans, not AI systems. The IDF stated they prioritize minimizing civilian casualties and condemned the use of anonymous testimonies for verification.
Titled after a military acronym for civilian casualties, “NAZA” serves as a companion piece to Abraham and Szor’s previous award-winning documentary, “No Other Land.” The film is executive produced by Jonathan Glazer, who previously faced backlash for remarks made during his 2024 Oscar acceptance speech.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, highlighted by the documentary, continues to claim lives in Gaza, with a significant number of civilian casualties. Abraham emphasized the systemic nature of the situation depicted in the film, calling attention to the ongoing violence and the need for awareness and intervention.