Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham’s documentary “NAZA” has garnered a remarkable 24.5-minute standing ovation at its debut at the Venice Film Festival. The film sheds light on Israel’s alleged utilization of AI-enhanced military technologies to target and eliminate Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Video footage from the event shows the filmmakers, visibly moved, as the audience erupts in applause for the film, which is based on the testimony of 24 Israeli military insiders.
Reported by Deadline, this standing ovation sets a new record at the Venice Film Festival, surpassing the previous record of 24 minutes for “The Voice of Hind Rajab” and the 22-minute ovation for Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Director Kaouther Ben Hania and producer Nadim Cheikhrouha of “The Voice of Hind Rajab” were also present at the event.
During the screening, some attendees unfurled Palestinian and Lebanese flags as a symbolic gesture. “NAZA” was filmed clandestinely in Tel Aviv over three years, featuring interviews with Israeli military personnel whose identities are concealed. The film alleges the use of surveillance systems and AI intelligence to target Hamas operatives, even in residential areas with civilians, including women and children.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have strongly refuted the film’s claims, stating that decisions to strike targets are made by humans and not AI. The IDF emphasized their efforts to minimize civilian casualties during military operations. “NAZA,” named after an Israeli military acronym for civilian casualties, serves as a follow-up to Abraham and Szor’s award-winning documentary “No Other Land.”
Executive produced by Jonathan Glazer, “NAZA” has sparked controversy following Glazer’s previous statements against the Israel-Hamas conflict. The film sheds light on the ongoing violence in Gaza, with Abraham emphasizing the systemic nature of the conflict portrayed in the documentary. The filmmaker stresses the importance of the insider testimonies presented in the film to highlight the persistent issues at hand.
