Culture 3 min read By Lauren Baxter
Controversial Gaza Documentary NAZA to Open in U.S. Theaters Through Self-Distribution
The investigative documentary NAZA, which drew attention at the Venice Film Festival and criticism from Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will begin its U.S. theatrical run on Sept. 30 at the IFC Center in New York City under a self-distribution model.
The investigative documentary NAZA, which generated intense discussion at the Venice Film Festival and drew public criticism from Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will begin its U.S. theatrical run on Sept. 30. The film will open exclusively at the IFC Center in New York City before expanding to additional markets.
Rather than selling the film to a studio or an independent distributor, the filmmakers — Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor — are pursuing a self-distribution model in the United States. The rollout is being spearheaded by The Guardian, according to the film's team, and represents an unusual approach for a documentary of this profile. By retaining control of the release, the filmmakers aim to bring the film directly to American audiences without relying on traditional industry intermediaries.
NAZA examines killings in Gaza, a subject that has made it one of the most talked-about and contested documentaries of the year. Its premiere at Venice sparked a strong reaction, and the film has since become a focal point in a broader debate over how media depicts the conflict. Israeli politicians, including Netanyahu, have attacked the documentary, while its defenders present it as a work of investigative journalism.
The controversy has extended beyond the film itself. Netanyahu has moved to get the Israeli citizenship of the NAZA directors revoked, a step that adds a political dimension to the film's release. The directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, have continued to promote the project despite the pressure, and the U.S. rollout is proceeding as planned.
The decision to self-distribute in the U.S. reflects both the film's contentious reception and the challenges it might face in a conventional distribution deal. By opening at the IFC Center, a well-known venue for independent and international cinema in New York, the filmmakers are positioning NAZA for a theatrical audience that follows documentary and foreign-language releases. Additional cities are expected to follow after the New York debut.
The film's U.S. release comes amid heightened attention to documentaries about Gaza and the wider region. Festivals and distributors have faced difficult decisions about such titles, and NAZA's path — from Venice to a self-managed American rollout — illustrates how politically charged nonfiction films can find their way to screens outside the traditional studio system.
For American viewers, the Sept. 30 opening at the IFC Center will be the first opportunity to see NAZA in a theater. The filmmakers and their team have not announced a full list of subsequent markets, but the self-distribution plan is designed to allow the release to grow organically based on audience response. The film's reception in the U.S. will be watched closely, given the attention it has already received abroad and the political reactions it has provoked.
