According to festival organizers, a new documentary examining the civilian toll of the Israel-Hamas war titled “NAZA” will receive its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, making it the sole documentary competing for the prestigious Golden Lion award during the event running from September 2 to 12. Directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by Britain’s The Guardian newspaper alongside James Wilson, the film builds on investigative reporting conducted between 2023 and 2025.
Venice Competition Lineup and Festival Details
Festival organizers announced on Monday that “NAZA” has been added to the main competition lineup for the September event, according to Reuters. The documentary stands as the only non-fiction film among the 21 features contending for the Golden Lion. According to a festival synopsis cited by Reuters, the film was shot at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv and “reveals in detail the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.” The project is scheduled to premiere on September 10, entering a high-profile field that includes new works by directors Martin McDonagh, Florian Zeller, Danny Boyle, Werner Herzog, and Hirokazu Kore-eda, as reported by Reuters.
Origins, Production Teams, and Investigative Roots
“NAZA” reunites key creative teams behind previous critically acclaimed projects. According to the main source and Reuters, the documentary was produced by James Wilson and executive produced by Jonathan Glazer—the production team behind the 2023 Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest.” Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor were two of the four co-directors of “No Other Land,” which won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2025. Furthermore, according to the main source, the documentary builds upon original investigative reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine, the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, and The Guardian. The Guardian stated that “NAZA” derives its title from an Israeli military acronym used euphemistically by Israeli intelligence to indicate the expected civilian casualty count in a planned airstrike.
Precedents from Prior Venice Film Festivals
Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which presents the agonizing final hours of a young Gazan girl trapped inside a vehicle amidst Israeli gunfire, is featured alongside “NAZA.” Last year, the festival featured Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which tells the harrowing story of the final hours of a Gazan girl trapped in a car under Israeli fire. That film won second prize at Venice after earning a record 23-minute standing ovation, according to Reuters. The festival, commencing on Sept., features Maggie Gyllenhaal leading the jury tasked with choosing the event’s award winners, with Ben Hania participating as a member of this judging panel.
Did You Know?
During the previous year’s Venice competition, audiences saw the screening of “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a production centered on the early 2024 tragedy of a 6-year-old girl who died while attempting to escape Gaza City with her relatives. The film earned a 23-minute standing ovation and won the festival’s Silver Lion award, according to Reuters.
Broader Context of the Israel-Hamas Conflict
The conflict in Gaza began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October 2023 that killed about 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies, as reported by Reuters. In response, Palestinian health authorities state that more than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza after Israel launched its military campaign against the coastal enclave. The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its count. In statements reported by Reuters, Israel contends that its military campaign targeted Hamas while making efforts to protect non-combatants, noting that the militant faction embedded itself within civilian areas—a claim that Hamas categorically rejects.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will “NAZA” premiere?
According to Reuters, “NAZA” will premiere in Venice on September 10, entering the event running from September 2 to 12.
Who directed “NAZA”?
The documentary was directed by the Israeli duo Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who were two of the four co-directors of the 2025 Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” according to the main source and Reuters.
Who produced the film?
According to Reuters and the main source, the film was produced by Britain’s Guardian newspaper and James Wilson, with Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer.
What is the basis of the documentary’s reporting?
According to the main source, the film builds on original investigative reporting conducted between 2023 and 2025 by the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972, Local Call, and The Guardian.
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