NAZA, the documentary that premiered at Venice and won a Special Jury Prize, has landed in U.S. theaters. The film, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, began its American run at the IFC Center in New York on Wednesday, and it arrives with a record 25-minute standing oviation from Venice behind it.
The film has also screened at the New York Film Festival, where it drew attention ahead of its release. It is produced by The Guardian and James Wilson’s JW Films, with Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer. MTuckman Media is handling U.S. bookings, and the doc is eyeing more than $70k for its first five days, with most shows sold out through the weekend.
Opening Numbers
As of noon Wednesday, the documentary had sold out most shows through the weekend, and it is projecting more than $70k for its first five days. The film is expanding to 60+ theaters in more than 30 markets next weekend.
The doc opened with €1.81 million ($2.1 million) in Italy and is expanding into other territories today. French sales company mk2 films handles rest-of-world sales across 56 markets.
The Guardian plans to stream the doc internationally for free starting in six to eight weeks.
The Film’s Setup
NAZA is an acronym for collateral damage, the acceptable loss of civilian life during operations targeting suspected Hamas militants. The film interviews 24 Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers on Tel Aviv rooftops, filmed in silhouette with altered voices.
The officers quoted in the doc suggest the number of civilian casualties ranges from several to a dozen to as high as 500 people. Israel has denied the claims in the film.
Abraham, an investigative journalist, said the film has no narration or infographics, only testimonials. He noted that the film overlaps with previous reporting on Gaza, saying atrocities have been documented for years.
Szor said he chose Tel Aviv because it’s a liberal city where few talk about Gaza. The film’s title points to the accepted cost of war: civilian lives lost as a side effect of operations aimed at suspected militants.
Netanyahu’s Threat
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to revoke the filmmakers’ citizenship and make criticizing the armed forces illegal. The film’s producers have responded by planning a free international streaming release.
Abraham and Szor attended Venice and NYFF but won’t appear at opening Q&As; reps say neither is in the U.S. or Israel.
The filmmakers have chosen to present the material without narration or graphics, relying solely on the spoken accounts of the officers and soldiers interviewed.
The Legacy of Previous Work
Abraham and Szor previously collaborated with Palestinian colleagues Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal on No Other Land, which won an Oscar in 2024. That film grossed $2.5 million worldwide.
The new film continues the thread of their earlier work, looking at the human cost of conflict in a region that has seen years of reporting on atrocities. Abraham noted during a NYFF Q&A that denial allows atrocities to continue, hoping the film makes denial harder.
| Film | Year | Gross |
|---|---|---|
| NAZA | Current release | Projected toward $70k+ first five days |
| No Other Land | 2024 | $2.5 million |
The Context of the Conflict
Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostage. The Palestinian death toll reportedly surpasses 74,000, including many civilians.
The film does not take sides in the conflict. It simply documents the testimony of those involved, presented in silhouette with altered voices to protect identities. The filmmakers have chosen to present the material without narration or graphics, relying solely on the spoken accounts of the officers and soldiers interviewed.
What Comes Next
The film expands to 60+ theaters in more than 30 markets next weekend. The Guardian’s plan to stream the doc internationally for free in six to eight weeks means the film will reach viewers who might not otherwise see it in theaters. That distribution strategy could extend the film’s reach far beyond its initial run.
The threat from Netanyahu’s office remains unresolved. The filmmakers have stayed out of sight, and their representatives have confirmed they are neither in the U.S. nor in Israel.
The film’s trajectory is clear: it has sold out shows at the IFC Center and is projecting past $70k for its first five days. The streaming release will bring it to audiences worldwide for free.
The question now is whether the documentary can sustain its momentum. The filmmakers have made their stand, and now the film stands on its own.
- The film has sold out most shows through the weekend.
- It is projecting more than $70k for its first five days.
- It opens in 60+ theaters in more than 30 markets next weekend.
- It will stream internationally for free in six to eight weeks.
- Netanyahu has threatened to revoke the filmmakers’ citizenship and make criticizing the armed forces illegal.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs the channels open for trade and diplomacy, and is against foreign entanglements and trade wars alike, so it takes no stand here beyond wishing the film well as it plays to American audiences. The film’s subject matter — civilian casualties in Israeli operations — is grim and raises serious questions, but the paper’s position is focused on keeping commerce flowing and the diplomatic path open, not on weighing the moral weight of any single work of art.
The film’s producers have chosen to stream it internationally for free, a move that extends its reach without asking anyone to pay. That distribution choice fits with the paper’s general skepticism toward concentrated power in both government and business, favoring wider access to information over gatekeeping.
Readers should watch how the streaming release plays out in six to eight weeks, and whether the film’s momentum holds as it moves beyond its initial theatrical run.
See the video the story is built around at Deadline.
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