The documentary NAZA has set a new record at the Venice Film Festival, earning the longest-ever standing ovation with 25 minutes of applause. The film, directed by Oscar-winning No Other Land filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, premiered on Thursday night amid heavy rain, as the festival neared its closing ceremony on Saturday.
Documentary exposes Israeli targeting systems
Shot on Tel Aviv's rooftops at night, the film claims to expose 'the systems behind Israel's planned mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza', according to its synopsis, featuring testimonies from anonymous intelligence personnel and soldiers. 'Naza', a term used by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and derived from the Hebrew phrase Nezek Agavi, means 'collateral damage' – or an indication of the number of civilians expected to be killed in an airstrike.
The Israeli directors remained solemn amid the applause, in contrast to the usual emotional displays during premieres at Venice's Sala Grande. Palestinian flags were unfurled by audience members as the lights came up after the documentary, which was produced by The Guardian and James Wilson.
Record-breaking ovation
NAZA's 25-minute ovation overtakes the record set last year by the docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab, which earned just shy of a 24-minute ovation. It also surpasses the Cannes record holder, Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, which managed 22 minutes at its 2006 premiere.
Critics have praised the film. Next Best Picture hailed NAZA as 'engrossing' and 'essential viewing', while The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw said it was 'casting a chilling light on what is happening now in Gaza'. Screen International called it 'an urgent, gut-punch doc', and Variety described it as 'unflinching' and 'devastating'.
Competition and context
NAZA is comfortably ahead of other notable ovations during the 2026 edition, including psychological relationship drama Bunker with Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem on 16 minutes, and Martin McDonagh's 1970s CIA Easter Island caper Wild Horse Nine with 14 minutes.
Before NAZA's late addition to the 21 films in official competition for Venice's Golden Lion, the festival had faced backlash for having only one film in that number directed by a female filmmaker – post-WW2 drama Woman Unknown from May el-Toukhy. Jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal had addressed this inequality at the opening press conference, saying she believed there was 'a systemic problem'. 'It's much harder for women to get their films financed,' she commented. 'Also, could it be possible that the things that women, having had a different experience of being alive in the world, want to make movies about are not always deemed high art?'
NAZA premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 10. It is yet to announce a UK release date.
