Israel-Gaza documentary 'NAZA' sets U.S. theatrical rollout

Self-distribution rollout for 'NAZA' in U.S. theaters

"NAZA," the Israeli military documentary from directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, will open in the United States on Sept. 30 with an exclusive run at the IFC Center in New York City, followed by an expansion to Los Angeles and additional key markets on Oct. 9, ahead of a broader national rollout in the following weeks. The plan was confirmed by the film's producers, who said The Guardian and the French sales company mk2 are spearheading an "innovative distribution model" rather than selling the film to a studio or independent distributor, with "a team of U.S. and international partners and consultants to bring the film to audiences as quickly as possible."

Producers, executive team and festival path

"NAZA" is produced by The Guardian and James Wilson of JW Films, with Jonathan Glazer, director of "The Zone of Interest," serving as executive producer. The documentary was built around testimony from 24 anonymous Israeli intelligence and military officers and soldiers who describe the systems they say Israel uses to target and kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza, with the title drawn from a military acronym for expected civilian casualties. After winning the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a prolonged standing ovation, the film is set to have its North American premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 26, four days before its commercial New York opening.

Israeli government response and political backdrop

The Israel Defense Forces said it "categorically rejects" the documentary's allegations and criticized the use of anonymous testimonies, which it said "cannot be verified," repeating its position that it "strikes military targets and makes unprecedented efforts to minimize harm to civilians." IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir described the film as "an attack on the State of Israel," while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly criticized the project and floated legislation that could strip Israeli citizenship from anyone alleged to defame Israeli soldiers, raising the political stakes ahead of Israeli elections scheduled for Oct. 27.

Comparison to the release of 'No Other Land'

The self-distribution strategy echoes the approach used for "No Other Land," the Oscar-winning 2024 documentary co-directed by Abraham and Szor alongside Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal, which was released in the United States through Cinetic with bookings handled by Michael Tuckman Media rather than a traditional distributor. Producers said further international distribution plans for "NAZA" will be announced in the coming days, suggesting the U.S. rollout is positioned as the first phase of a wider release.

Next milestone

The New York Film Festival premiere on Sept. 26 is the next major checkpoint for the film, immediately followed by the Sept. 30 commercial opening at IFC Center in New York and the Oct. 9 expansion to Los Angeles and additional markets.