New Documentary NAZA Exposes AI Targeting Systems in Gaza, Receives Record Ovation in Venice

The controversial documentary "NAZA" premiered on Thursday at the Venice Film Festival, capturing a record-breaking 24-and-a-half-minute standing ovation from the audience. Directed by Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham and filmmaker Rachel Szor, the project exposes the military's use of covert artificial intelligence to systematically track and kill civilians in Gaza.

Shot secretly across three years on rooftops in Tel Aviv, the film relies heavily on confidential testimonies from Israeli military and intelligence insiders. The title itself originates from an internal military acronym utilized as a shorthand designation for civilian casualties, including children, during operations in Gaza.

"Part of why we wanted to make this film is because I think that hearing testimonies from officers who themselves operated these systems of killing, designed them, can make the denial of the crimes harder," said co-director Yuval Abraham during his appearance in Venice.

The documentary builds directly on the investigative momentum established by its creators' previous Oscar-winning work, "No Other Land." Industry analysts note that visual testimonies from direct participants effectively dismantle institutional denials that often allow military atrocities to persist unchecked.

Festival organizers confirmed that the 24-minute ovation surpasses the previous record of 22 minutes held by "The Voice of Hind Rajab" set during the previous year's event. "NAZA" is scheduled for broader international screenings later this autumn following its successful festival debut.