VENICE, August 25, 2026: The Venice Film Festival has added NAZA, a documentary examining the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, to its main competition, making it the only documentary among this year’s 21 contenders for the prestigious Golden Lion.

Directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, NAZA will be screened during the festival, which runs from September 2 to 12. Its inclusion marks the second consecutive year that a politically charged film about the Israel-Gaza conflict has competed at Venice.

The documentary is scheduled to premiere on September 10.

A Second Gaza Film at Venice

Last year, The Voice of Hind Rajab attracted significant attention at the festival. The film tells the story of a young Palestinian girl trapped inside a car during Israeli fire.

It received a record 23-minute standing ovation at its premiere and went on to win the festival’s second prize.

The latest film, NAZA, takes a different approach. According to the festival’s synopsis, the filmmakers filmed at night from rooftops in Tel Aviv while examining what they describe as the systems behind Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The film is expected to become one of the most closely watched entries at this year’s festival.

Filmmakers Behind Oscar-Winning Documentary

Abraham and Szor previously worked on No Other Land, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025.

That film documented the destruction of a Palestinian community in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the expansion of Israeli settlements.

NAZA has also attracted notable figures from the international film industry. It was produced by Britain’s Guardian newspaper and James Wilson, while Oscar-winning filmmaker Jonathan Glazer serves as executive producer.

Glazer directed The Zone of Interest, the acclaimed Holocaust drama that won the Academy Award for Best International Feature.

Wilson and Glazer previously worked on The Voice of Hind Rajab as producer and executive producer.

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Gaza War at Centre of Debate

The documentary arrives amid continued international debate over the scale and consequences of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

Palestinian health authorities have reported more than 73,000 deaths since Israel began its military offensive following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Israeli authorities say the campaign is directed against Hamas and that the military has attempted to minimise civilian casualties. Israel has also accused Hamas of operating from civilian areas, an allegation the group rejects.

The Gaza health authorities’ figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

High-Profile Venice Competition

NAZA joins a strong field of contenders for the Golden Lion.

The 2026 competition includes new films from prominent directors including Martin McDonagh, Florian Zeller, Danny Boyle, Werner Herzog and Hirokazu Kore-eda.

Its inclusion ensures that the Gaza conflict will once again feature prominently in discussions surrounding one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals.

With its September 10 premiere approaching, NAZA is likely to attract attention not only for its filmmaking but also for its examination of one of the most contentious conflicts of recent years.