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“NAZA,” a blistering look at the systems used by the Israeli government to kill Palestinians, was too controversial for a prominent indie studio to pick up. That hasn’t stopped “NAZA” from connecting with arthouse audiences now that the self-released documentary has opened in theaters. Within two weeks of its release, “NAZA” will cross the $500,000 mark, an impressive feat for any non-fiction film, especially one about such a hot, politically charged topic.
“NAZA” premiered at the IFC Center in New York last weekend, where it earned more than $125,000 over its first eight days. It then expanded to 85 theaters in 30 cities across North America, earning another $298,240 over the three-day weekend and an estimated $378,200 over the four holidays. By Monday, its domestic haul is expected to be $504,074. The distribution of the film is managed by the producers The Guardian and mk2. They have said it will start streaming for free on The Guardian’s website starting in November.
“NAZA” comes from the “No Other Land” team of Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, and contains interviews with anonymous IDF sources that detail how AI and phone monitoring have been used to identify targets in Gaza and how the country’s strikes have killed a large number of Palestinian civilians. The film won an audience in Venice, where it received a 25-minute ovation and won the Special Jury Prize. Critics also embraced the film, which is seen as a major contender at the Oscars.
Officials in Israel have criticized the film. The IDF chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, promised to use “every tool at our disposal” to stop its release, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that he would strip the people interviewed in the film of their Israeli citizenship. Israel’s culture minister accused Szor and Abraham of “treason” and suggested their citizenship could be revoked.
“No Other Land,” which examines Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, was also distributed alone. It went on to win the Oscar for best documentary.
