Archive · 11 Sep 2026
NAZA Sets Venice Record With 24.5-Minute Standing Ovation
NAZA is a documentary about Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
It was directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday.
People applauded for 24.5 minutes, making it the longest recorded ovation in the festival’s history.
Some audience members held Palestinian flags.
The documentary includes interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers.
Its title refers to an Israeli intelligence term for the expected number of civilians killed in an airstrike.
The directors worked on the film for three years and secretly filmed some scenes at night from rooftops in Tel Aviv.
They said they wanted to examine the military system using their access to Israeli society and former military personnel.
NAZA received a 24.5-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere on Thursday.
The ovation surpassed the previous 22-minute record set by The Voice of Hind Rajab last year.
The documentary was directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who also worked on No Other Land.
NAZA examines Israel’s military operations in Gaza through interviews with 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers.
The film was produced by The Guardian and James Wilson’s JW Films, with Jonathan Glazer as executive producer.
- Who
- Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor made the documentary, with Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer.
- What
- NAZA received a record 24.5-minute standing ovation and examines Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
- When
- The film premiered on Thursday at this year’s Venice Film Festival; the documentary was made over three years.
- Where
- The premiere took place at the Venice Film Festival, while much of the film was secretly shot from rooftops in Tel Aviv.
- Why
- The directors said they wanted to use their access to Israeli society and military personnel to examine the system involved in the operations in Gaza.
- Ovation length
- 24.5 minutes
- Previous Venice record
- 22 minutes, set by The Voice of Hind Rajab last year
- Directors
- Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor
- Interview subjects
- 24 Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers
- Production period
- Three years
- Festival status
- The only documentary feature competing at Venice this year
- Production and executive producer
- Produced by The Guardian and James Wilson’s JW Films; executive-produced by Jonathan Glazer
