Israeli Documentary 'NAZA' Debuts at Venice Film Festival with Record Ovation
9 sources across 7 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- The Times of Israel
- The Jerusalem Post
- The Guardian
- Financial Times
- Sueddeutsche Zeitung
- South China Morning Post
- Al Jazeera
- El Pais
- Al-Monitor
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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The documentary film 'NAZA,' directed by Oscar winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received a record breaking 25 minute standing ovation at its premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday. The 80 minute film features interviews with 24 Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Their faces and voices were digitally altered, and they were filmed at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv. The film is produced by Jim Wilson with The Guardian and executive produced by Jonathan Glazer.
The documentary focuses on the use of AI powered systems, specifically one known as 'Lavender,' to identify targets in Gaza. Interviewees describe the process as an industrial scale operation, with some comparing the experience to a lethal video game or a factory. The film's title, 'NAZA,' is described as a Hebrew intelligence euphemism for the number of civilians expected to be killed in a given airstrike. The filmmakers state that the killing of Palestinian civilians was a premeditated and calculated act rather than a byproduct of war. Some interviewees in the film discuss the destruction of civilian homes and draw parallels between current events and the dehumanization seen during the Holocaust.
Outlets with a center right lean frame the film as a challenge to official Israeli military accounts, noting that Israel maintains it takes great lengths to avoid civilian casualties and that Hamas uses human shields. Outlets with a center left lean frame the film as an expose of war crimes and a devastating account of mass murder. Center lean outlets focus on the record breaking reception of the film and the chilling nature of the testimonies regarding AI backed killings.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Framed the film as an expose of intentional mass murder and war crimes.
- Centre
- Focused on the record breaking ovation and the chilling details of AI powered killings.
- Centre-right
- Framed the film as a challenge to official military accounts while including the Israeli government's perspective on human shields.
Sources
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: Israeli film on Gaza receives 25-minute ovation at Venice premiere
- Centre Al-Monitor: Israeli-made film about Gaza gets 25-minute ovation at Venice premiere
- Centre-left El Pais: The 'NAZA' Israeli military shake Venice: "The Nazis were the devil, but what am I?"
- Centre Financial Times: As Hollywood stars stay away, Venice lets the darkness in
- Centre-right South China Morning Post: Israeli film on AI-backed Gaza killings gets 25-minute Venice ovation
- Centre-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung: Film Festival in Venice: "We kill these children intentionally"
- Centre-left The Guardian: NAZA review – Israeli intelligence officers cast chilling light on civilian deaths
- Centre-right The Jerusalem Post: Israeli documentary 'NAZA' challenges official accounts of Gaza civilian deaths
- Centre The Times of Israel: Israeli film about killing of Gazan civilians gets 25-minute record ovation at Venice premiere
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.