From Slate Magazine · Sam Adams · · 2m
Their Last Documentary Won the Oscar. Their New One Is Just as Urgent
Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s new documentary NAZA reveals a chilling system of civilian casualties in Gaza, sparking controversy after winning an Oscar.
In brief
Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s new documentary NAZA reveals a chilling system of civilian casualties in Gaza, sparking controversy after winning an Oscar. Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary NAZA shows how Israel’s military uses AI to track Hamas and accept high civilian…
NAZA Wins Oscar
Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who shared last year’s best documentary Oscar with Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal for No Other Land, made their new film NAZA.
“No Other Land”
NAZA Focuses on Israeli Rooftops
The film confines its subjects to Tel Aviv rooftops, where 24 military and intelligence service veterans describe Israel’s near-total disregard for Palestinian life.
NAZA Term for Casualties
Their term for civilian casualties, derived from Hebrew for 'collateral damage,' is NAZA, a system that allows precise estimates of deaths per military strike.
“collateral damage”
AI Surveillance System
The Israeli military uses an AI program called Lavender to identify Hamas members, listening to their families’ cellphones for signs they’ve returned home.
“Lavender”
Collateral Damage Threshold
After Oct. 7, the standard number of NAZA allowed was raised to 20, but in one case it reached 500, with Abraham noting it could include 'all of Gaza.'
“all of Gaza”
Criticism of Anonymity
Critics accuse the film of using anonymized subjects to discredit it, with some claiming it omits Palestinian voices and platforms Israeli adulation.
Israeli Response
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the film was equivalent to launching 'dozens of ballistic missiles' and moved to revoke Abraham and Szor’s citizenship.
“dozens of ballistic missiles”
Social Media Backlash
On social media, some accuse the filmmakers of platforming Israelis instead of Arab voices and soaking up adulation from film-festival audiences.
Anonymous Sources in Film
The film uses anonymous sources to protect subjects, who fear retaliation, but less than a quarter of over 100 print sources agreed to appear in the movie.
Emotionless Testimonies
Subjects describe hearing a dying child’s last breath over a hacked cellphone but remain almost emotionless, with no visible contrition.
Delayed Impact
The film holds footage of Gaza’s destruction until nearly the end, challenging audiences to remember the impact of the conflict.
Distribution Strategy
NAZA opens at New York’s IFC Center on Wednesday and will stream for free on the Guardian’s website by late November.
At a glance
Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s documentary NAZA shows how Israel’s military uses AI to track Hamas and accept high civilian casualties, drawing criticism for its anonymous subjects.
