The has added a new documentary about the civilian toll of the to its lineup. 鈥淣AZA,鈥� from two of the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary 鈥淣o Other Land,鈥� will screen in the main competition, festival organizers said Monday.
According to the synopsis, the film was shot at night on Tel Aviv rooftops and focuses on the killings of Palestinian civilians. Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor co-directed 鈥淣aza,鈥� which was produced by The Guardian and filmmakers behind 鈥淭he Zone of Interest.鈥� It鈥檚 the only documentary competing for the Golden Lion award.
Abraham and Szor were two of the four directors of the 2025 best documentary winner the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military. A collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, it was made over four years between 2019 and 2023, wrapping production days before Hamas launched its that started the war in Gaza.
鈥淣aza鈥� builds on reporting between 2023 and 2025 published by the Israeli-Palestinian +972 Magazine, the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call and The Guardian.
The war was top of mind at as well, where thousands gathered for a large pro-Palestinian protest during one of the busiest nights in hopes of redirecting the spotlight from the movie stars to the real world. The subject was also prominent in the program: Kaouther Ben Hania鈥檚 about the attempting to flee Gaza City with her family in early 2024, won the festival鈥檚 Silver Lion award.
Ben Hania is part of the Maggie Gyllenhaal-led jury that will be selecting the award winners at the festival, which begins on Sept. 2. Winners will be announced on Sept. 12.
Earlier this year, the Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition opened with no Golden Lions after the in protest of Israel鈥檚 and participation and outside their pavilions. In 2024 the artist and curators representing Israel at the Venice Biennale , saying they would only open it if there were a ceasefire in Gaza.
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