# Gaza film wins Venice acclaim, sparks death threats in Israel > A documentary about Israeli military targeting systems premiered to standing ovations abroad but triggered vitriol, threats and calls for citizenship revocation at home. - Title: Gaza film wins Venice acclaim, sparks death threats in Israel - Summary: A documentary about Israeli military targeting systems premiered to standing ovations abroad but triggered vitriol, threats and calls for citizenship… - Keywords: naza, gaza documentary, israel, yuval abraham, rachel szor, venice film festival, benjamin netanyahu, israeli military, death threats, citizenship revocation, israeli election, press freedom - Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/19/ovations-venice-death-threats-israel-extreme-responses-to-naza-documentary - Published: 2026-09-19T05:00:37+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: naza, gaza documentary, israel, yuval abraham, rachel szor, venice film festival, benjamin netanyahu, israeli military, death threats, citizenship revocation, israeli election, press freedom ## Venice audience gives standing ovation The Gaza documentary NAZA premiered at Venice Film Festival to 25 minutes of applause from the audience in the main screening hall after its 80-minute runtime. > First there was a moment of stunned silence. Then, in the Sala Grande, the main screening hall of the Venice film festival within the Palazzo del Cinema, the audience stood almost as one and turned to applaud the film-makers for 25 minutes. ## Documentary reveals targeting systems NAZA features 24 anonymised Israeli military insiders describing AI-powered systems that select thousands of people to be killed in strikes, often at night surrounded by families. ## Title refers to military euphemism NAZA comes from an Israeli military acronym used to euphemistically describe the civilians expected to be killed in a military attack. ## Insiders describe mass killing program The film shows Israeli military personnel with varied perspectives all describing participation in a program of mass killing with few boundaries between combatant and civilian, amid over 73,000 Palestinian deaths. ## Netanyahu calls for citizenship stripping Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he would promote bills to revoke citizenship from anyone who defames Israeli soldiers or the state, saying they would be hurt financially. > We will revoke citizenship for anyone who defames IDF soldiers around the world, he will be deeply hurt in his pocket. ## Rightwing figures accuse directors of treason Israeli rightwing politicians and media figures have called the Oscar-winning directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor traitors, with some calling for violence and demolition of their homes. ## Journalist's office broken into Rightwing activists broke into the offices of +972 Magazine and Local Call, where Abraham's reporting on the allegations first appeared, and filmed the intrusion. ## Election campaign fuels extreme response The febrile Israeli election campaign in October has accelerated rightwing rhetoric, with the film becoming a tool to attack broader critics of Israel and its military during a polarized political moment. ## Unseen film weaponized politically Political experts note that because most Israelis have not seen NAZA, the right can exploit it as an electoral tool without the public being able to judge its actual content. > While it is unseen, it can be turned into something electorally potent that at present Israelis aren't able to demystify. ## Critics warn suppression signals weakness Israeli columnists and former editors argue that threatening filmmakers and stripping citizenship makes Israel appear to have something to hide and undermines its democratic credibility. > Not only does such a move not make Israel look stronger, but it creates the impression that we have something to hide and are afraid of criticism. ## Film opens in US cinemas September 30 NAZA will premiere in US cinemas on September 30, with international distribution plans to be announced, bringing the documentary to wider audiences beyond Venice. ## Healthy democracy would investigate Haaretz commentators argue that in a functioning democracy, NAZA's allegations would trigger public outrage and state investigation, not threats and exile for its filmmakers. > In a healthy democracy, NAZA would be shown on the evening news, its allegations would cause a public outrage and the state would promise a thorough investigation. ## Key takeaway NAZA's international success has become a flashpoint in Israeli politics, with the right weaponizing an unseen film to attack dissent during a febrile election campaign.