London: The International Documentary Association (IDA) has joined forces with nearly 300 prominent actors, filmmakers, and human rights defenders to denounce state-led intimidation targeting Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor following the international debut of their investigative documentary, NAZA.
The 80 minute British co production, produced by The Guardian and JW Films, relies on testimony from 24 anonymised Israeli intelligence officers and military personnel interviewed across Tel Aviv rooftops. The film examines automated targeting algorithms and cellular phone surveillance systems deployed in Gaza systems operating under the military shorthand Nezek Agavi (NAZA), or "collateral damage".
After taking the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the project drew immediate, severe condemnation from Israeli authorities. Culture Minister Miki Zohar publicly accused the directors of treason, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined plans for emergency legislation aimed at revoking the citizenship of citizens deemed to "slander" state forces, alongside a twentyfold increase in statutory defamation damages.
In its open letter, the IDA emphasised that while state institutions retain the right to dispute journalistic findings, punitive legal measures violate established international conventions on civil and political rights:
"Israel is bound by Article 19, under which restrictions on expression must be provided by law and be necessary and proportionate to a legitimate aim. Revoking citizenship, imposing punitive damages, or opening security investigations in response to a documentary does not meet that test."
The statement has been backed by notable figures across the cultural sector, including actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, alongside Oscar winning filmmakers Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Alex Gibney. Simultaneously, more than 1,500 Israeli film professionals and dozens of local civil rights organisations have issued joint declarations supporting the directors' right to protect confidential source material.
Addressing audiences at the film's North American premiere during the New York Film Festival, Abraham defended the documentary's use of whistleblowers, stressing that confidentiality remains an indispensable tool for investigative journalism when exposing state run systems.
Following its festival circuit run, NAZA is scheduled for theatrical distribution across 55 countries next month, prior to a worldwide digital release on The Guardian's online platform in November.
