Venice-Winning Documentary "NZA" Sparks Political Storm and Treason Probes in Israel

The documentary film "NZA", directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, has sparked a major storm in Israel and worldwide due to the claims presented in it. The film focuses on the killing of Palestinian civilians in strikes by the Israeli Air Force in the Gaza Strip during the war, intelligence mechanisms, and target selection processes, relying on 24 anonymous testimonies from soldiers and officers of Unit 8200. The film premiered in the main competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival last month, where it won the Special Jury Prize.

Backlash and Official Response

Following the film's win, the Israeli Film Council announced it would re-evaluate the scoring system for international film festivals representing the country. In addition to demanding a screening of the film for council members, Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar approached the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior to examine procedures for revoking the citizenship of the creators on charges of treason. Simultaneously, the Prime Minister announced plans to promote legislation enabling the revocation of citizenship and increasing defamation lawsuit damages for those working to defame the country and IDF soldiers.

Creators' Response

Amidst the uproar, creators Rachel Shor and Yuval Abraham were interviewed on The Guardian's "Stateside" podcast. Director Rachel Shor shared her feelings:

"My parents are fine. I mean, of course it's scary. Like, we can't lie and say it isn't. I also feel bad that I dragged my parents into this. When it comes to family, of course it hurts, as well as the fact that for now we are not returning. But yes, we want to return there. This is our home and this is our sense of meaning. The reaction is immense."

Despite the fierce criticism, the creators confirmed they also received support and praise for the documentary, noting that a small segment of Israeli society stood by them.