Venice-Born NAZA Documentary Heads to U.S. Theaters Amid Israeli Backlash

The investigative NAZA documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, which drew a 25-minute standing ovation in Venice and provoked attacks from Israeli politicians, will reach U.S. theaters via a Guardian/mk2-backed self-distribution plan, opening Sept. 30 at IFC New York and expanding to Los Angeles on Oct. 9 with a broader rollout to follow. The film interviews 24 anonymous Israeli military/intelligence sources alleging civilian casualties were knowingly tolerated and, in some accounts, that AI helped target civilians—claims the IDF has rejected. NAZA is also slated to have its North American premiere at NYFF on Sept. 26. Netanyahu has threatened citizenship revocation for those who defame Israeli soldiers, underscoring the political heat surrounding the film as it navigates a charged post-October 7 landscape ahead of Israeli elections.