1,500 Israeli Filmmakers Defend Directors Facing Threats

When a documentary wins a prize at one of the world's most prestigious film festivals, the directors usually celebrate. Instead, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor found themselves defending their citizenship.

Their documentary NAZA premiered at the Venice Film Festival to a record 24-minute standing ovation and won the Special Jury Prize. The film features testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders about operations in Gaza.

Days later, Israel's Culture Minister Miki Zohar threatened to revoke their citizenship, calling the work "treason against the state." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added his own condemnation, accusing the filmmakers of incitement and antisemitism.

But the Israeli film community had other ideas. More than 1,500 filmmakers and industry professionals signed a petition supporting Abraham and Szor, rejecting accusations that they sought to damage Israel's reputation.

Prominent directors including Nadav Lapid, Hagai Levi, and Shlomi Elkabetz added their names. The petition warns that the hostile rhetoric creates a physical threat to the filmmakers' safety.

The Ripple Effect

The support extended far beyond Israel's borders. Julie Huntsinger, artistic director of Colorado's Telluride Film Festival, publicly defended the filmmakers' right to pursue politically difficult subjects. Festival heads from Locarno, Switzerland joined the chorus of international support.

The documentary builds on investigations from respected outlets including The Guardian and Israeli publications +972 Magazine and Local Call. Abraham and Szor defended their reporting and their anonymous sources' testimony.

This isn't the duo's first time addressing controversial topics. They previously co-directed No Other Land, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025. NAZA marks their second film examining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The filmmakers plan to seek distribution in Israel, Europe, and the United States. Meanwhile, the Israeli military says it's investigating whether confidential information was leaked during production.

The wave of support shows how creative communities can rally around artistic freedom, even when the subject matter divides public opinion.