"NAZA": Israeli Documentary Exposes AI-Driven Targeting of Civilians in Gaza and Wins Venice Award

The documentary film "NAZA" won the Special Jury Prize at the conclusion of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, following a premiere that drew a record-breaking standing ovation lasting approximately 25 minutes.

• Film Concept: Directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, the film draws on the testimonies of 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers, revealing the use of advanced AI and surveillance systems to select targets in Gaza.

• Origin of the Title: The title refers to a military acronym used to calculate the number of civilians expected to be killed as "collateral damage" during airstrikes on homes and residential neighborhoods.

• Military Operational Mechanisms: The film—three years in the making—documents how operations involved phone tapping and the exploitation of phrases spoken by children, such as "Dad is home," to time devastating raids.

• Artistic Background: The work follows the Oscar-winning film No Other Land; it is a British production made in collaboration with The Guardian and features director Jonathan Glazer as an executive producer, bringing the issue of Gaza to the forefront of the festival for the second consecutive year.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence.