The documentary “NAZA,” which captured a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, is preparing for a wide international release paired with an unconventional digital strategy. After its theatrical window, the film will be made available at no cost to viewers on The Guardian’s website.
Produced by The Guardian alongside James Wilson of JW Films and executive producer Jonathan Glazer, the film offers a detailed look at the mechanisms behind Israel’s strikes on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Shot entirely at night on Tel Aviv rooftops over a three-year period, the project builds upon investigative reporting first published by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call between 2023 and 2025.
French sales company MK2 has secured distribution agreements for 56 territories worldwide. The global rollout begins on September 28, following the film’s world premiere in Venice on September 10.
In the United States, the distribution model diverges from traditional studio deals. Spearheaded by The Guardian and MK2, the film bypasses conventional independent distributors. It opens exclusively at New York City’s IFC Center on September 30, utilizing a network of U.S. and international partners designed to accelerate audience access.
The Guardian confirmed that theatrical distributors have been lined up across numerous regions, including France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Portugal, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, Central America, and the Middle East.
Regarding screenings in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, the publication stated that the film has been offered to various local distributors and cinemas. The Guardian is currently exploring additional methods to facilitate screenings in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Directors Abraham and Szor addressed the motivation behind the project in a joint statement. They described the work as an obligation for Israeli filmmakers to examine the systems enabling mass killings. By observing military members on Tel Aviv rooftops, they sought to understand how societal dehumanization occurs.
“The film lets us explore something deeper than we could in our investigative journalism alone: not only the words being said but also those that are not said, the silence,” the directors said. “It is up to all of us to break that silence.”
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