Everything we know about NAZA starts with a simple fact: no documentary this year has stirred up as much conversation. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and it has been in the headlines ever since.
Here is a clear, sourced guide to what it is, how it was made, and where you can see it.
What is NAZA?
NAZA is a 2026 British documentary, about 80 minutes long, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. It was produced by The Guardian and JW Films, with Jonathan Glazer as executive producer.
The film looks at the systems behind Israel’s bombing of Gaza. It is built on interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers who spoke anonymously.
The title comes from a Hebrew military term, nezek agavi, meaning collateral damage. According to the filmmakers, it is also shorthand for the number of civilian deaths expected in a strike.
Who made it?
Abraham and Szor are two of the four co-directors of No Other Land, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2024. Abraham is an investigative journalist, and Szor is the film’s cinematographer.
NAZA builds on reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, Local Call and The Guardian.
How was it filmed?
This is the part filmmakers should pay attention to.
- The interviews were shot at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv.
- The interviewees’ faces and voices were digitally altered to hide their identities.
- Abraham says the team worked for three years in total secrecy.
- The film draws on more than 100 hours of interviews, and the directors say every claim was heard from multiple sources.
The constraint became the style. Darkness, silhouettes and a city skyline replace the usual talking-head setup.
Awards and reception
NAZA premiered at Venice on September 10 and received a standing ovation of about 25 minutes, reported as the longest in the festival’s history. It then screened at the New York Film Festival.
Critics have called it essential viewing. At least one review compared its importance as a historical record to Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah.
The controversy
The film has drawn a strong reaction in Israel. The army rejects its claims and says they misrepresent how it uses technology and chooses targets.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to advance a bill to revoke the citizenship of people who defame Israeli soldiers, citing the film. The culture minister has also called for the directors’ citizenship to be revoked.
The Committee to Protect Journalists and ten other organizations signed an open letter asking Israeli authorities to protect the directors’ rights. The Guardian says the interviews came from confidential journalistic sources.
Where to watch NAZA
- Cinemas: a global release in 56 territories from September 28
- United States: theatrical release from October 9
- Online: free on The Guardian’s website in late November
Final thoughts
Whatever your view of its subject, NAZA is a case study in how a documentary can turn secrecy, constraint and years of reporting into cinema.
If you are planning your own first feature, read our guide on what really changes from short film to first feature and explore the Screenwriting Series.
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