Controversial Venice-Winning Film "NZA" Heads to Dutch Cinemas Amid Backlash
The controversial film "NZA" by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, winner of a Venice Film Festival award, is heading to Dutch cinemas amid sharp criticism from the IDF and Israeli leadership.
The controversial film "NZA" by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, is set to reach a wider audience. The 80-minute film will be screened in Dutch cinemas starting October 1, with ticket sales already open at several venues.
Shot mostly at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, the film is based on interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli soldiers, officers, and intelligence personnel. The official Venice Film Festival synopsis states that the film aims to expose the mechanisms behind what it terms the calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israel. These allegations have been firmly rejected by the IDF.
Screenings and International Release
The film is scheduled to be screened in cities including Rotterdam, Delft, and Hilversum. Filmtheater Hilversum has listed screenings for October 1, 3, and 4, while KINO Rotterdam has included it in its program starting October 1. Filmhuis Lumen in Delft has already made tickets available for four screenings: October 1, 4, 6, and on October 7 at 19:00—marking exactly three years since the October 7 massacre.
No commercial screenings have been announced in Israel thus far. IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin reached out to the filmmakers, requesting that military representatives be allowed to view the full film after promotional materials featured severe and false allegations against the IDF. However, the request was denied. Defrin explained that viewing the film was necessary to address each claim substantively.
"It is important that our society looks at the actions in Gaza. We will do everything to distribute the film as widely as possible in Israel," said Yuval Abraham following the win.
Public Backlash and Political Controversy
The film has triggered a massive public and political storm in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the project, labeling it shocking incitement, while Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered a legal review and an investigation into suspected leaks of classified information to the creators. Meanwhile, the filmmakers maintain that the project is built upon rigorous investigative work and testimonies from security establishment insiders.
