The documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, began its theatrical run in the United States on Friday. The film, which explores accountability for civilian casualties, drew organized protests during a screening at a North Hollywood theater.
Dozens of Israeli-Americans and members of the Jewish community gathered outside the venue to demonstrate against the release. The Israeli-American Council (IAC) organized the protest, with participants holding signs and displaying images related to the October 7 attack. According to statements from protest organizers, their aim was to present what they characterized as a counter-narrative to the documentary’s perspective.
IAC officials emphasized that their objection centers on presenting additional context rather than preventing the film’s screening. Tal Shuster, IAC co-chair, stated that the group supports freedom of speech but argues the documentary presents an incomplete account. Protest organizers suggested pairing screenings with survivor testimonies and additional factual presentations to provide broader context to audiences.
The NAZA premiere at the New York Film Festival earlier in the month similarly drew organized protests from the IAC, during which Nova festival survivors spoke. The documentary had previously received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The directors have stated they created the film based on their perspective as Israelis examining what they describe as systems resulting in civilian deaths.
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