Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Yuval Abraham condemns Gaza war at Venice jury prize
Yuval Abraham is an Israeli filmmaker who made a documentary called NAZA with Rachel Szor.
The film looks at Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
It includes interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers.
Abraham said Israeli politicians and journalists were criticizing the film without seeing it.
During his award speech, he described Palestinian deaths in Gaza and accused Israel’s military of planned, systemic killing.
He also criticized governments in Italy, Germany, and the United States for their roles in or response to the conflict.
NAZA received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
It also received a very long standing ovation after its premiere.
Abraham and Szor previously directed No Other Land, which won the 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary.
Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham criticized Israeli politicians and journalists during his Venice acceptance speech.
Abraham and co-director Rachel Szor received the Special Jury Prize for NAZA.
He cited Palestinian deaths in Gaza and accused Israel’s military of systemic mass killing.
NAZA features testimony from 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers about military operations in Gaza.
The documentary received a reported 24.5-minute standing ovation at its Venice premiere.
- Who
- Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, along with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers interviewed for NAZA.
- What
- NAZA won the Venice Film Festival’s Special Jury Prize, while Abraham used his acceptance speech to criticize Israel’s conduct in Gaza and attacks on the film.
- When
- The speech followed NAZA’s premiere during the Venice Film Festival; the article says the festival had been running for just over 10 days.
- Where
- The speech and premiere took place at the Venice Film Festival in Italy; the film focuses on Gaza and was partly filmed in Tel Aviv.
- Why
- Abraham said he wanted audiences to confront what the documentary describes as systems behind the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
- Award
- Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival
- Film
- NAZA, co-directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor
- Film subject
- Israel’s military operations in Gaza and alleged systems behind civilian killings
- Interview subjects
- 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers
- Premiere response
- A reported 24.5-minute standing ovation, described as the festival’s longest recorded this year
- Production
- Made over three years, with much filming conducted covertly at night from Tel Aviv rooftops
- Previous film
- No Other Land, which Abraham and Szor directed and which won the 2025 Oscar for Best Documentary