From ovations in Venice to death threats in Israel: the extreme responses to NAZA documentary
As Gaza documentary wins cinematic acclaim, its directors face vitriol in Israel amid a febrile election campaign
TL;DR
- The documentary NAZA, produced by The Guardian, received a 25-minute standing ovation at the Venice film festival.
- The film features 24 anonymized Israeli military insiders discussing AI systems used to select targets in Gaza.
- Right-wing Israeli politicians and groups have accused the directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, of treason and called for violence against them.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for legislation to strip citizenship from individuals who "smear" Israeli soldiers.
- The backlash is seen by some as the Israeli right exploiting the film, which is largely unseen in Israel, for electoral gain during a febrile election campaign.
- Human rights and peace organizations in Israel and internationally have defended the film-makers.