Gaza documentary NAZA earns record Venice ovation

A documentary examining Israel's mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza drew a record-breaking standing ovation at its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday.

"NAZA", directed by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received a 25-minute ovation, reportedly the longest for any film at a major festival. It surpassed the reception given last year to "The Voice of Hind Rajab", about a six-year-old girl killed in Gaza.

The 80-minute film is built on testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders, who describe the systems behind the targeting of Palestinian civilians. Interviewees detail an AI-assisted programme, known as "Lavender", that drew on Gaza's monitored telecommunications to identify targets, striking homes even when families were known to be inside.

Filmed secretly at night on rooftops across Tel Aviv over nearly three years, the documentary conceals its subjects' identities through digital alteration of their voices and appearances. Its title refers to a Hebrew military acronym used to estimate expected civilian casualties before a strike.

The film builds on reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, Local Call and The Guardian. It was produced by Guardian Documentaries and JW Films, and executive produced by "The Zone of Interest" director Jonathan Glazer.

Abraham and Szor previously co-directed "No Other Land", which won the 2025 Academy Award for Best Documentary. "NAZA" is the sole documentary competing for Venice's Golden Lion, with winners to be announced on Friday.