NAZA on CINEGEEK.DE 

A harrowing documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who previously garnered attention with No Other Land. Naza is a film difficult to describe and even more difficult to watch. Based on revelations by The Guardian, corroborated by 24 Israeli intelligence officers, Naza is not told from a Palestinian perspective, yet it features Palestinian voices, recorded on their mobile phones. After October 7th, the intelligence apparatus of surveillance was running at full speed, and we witness how revenge turned into genocide. Many reject films shot from the perspective of the oppressor (see Claude Lanzmann). Although Naza features exclusively Israeli voices, it doesn't fit into this category, as it is an investigation into state violence. A journalistic piece in real time. We hear from those involved not years later, but while they are still carrying out the orders that led to genocide. We learn just how intensive the surveillance was. We learn that someone who inflicts such massive harm on the population of Gaza is indifferent to its destruction. Many deny their guilt, claiming they are merely following orders. Few confront their actions. Naza will anger and disappoint many. Israel has already questioned the authenticity of the images, and Palestinians will criticize the fact that only the oppressor is given a voice. NAZA refers to the unit of measurement used to count Palestinians killed as collateral damage. The film attempts to refute genocide deniers who (as was the case during the Nuremberg Trials) rely on subjective arguments. In an ideal world, a film that has to prove the existence of genocide wouldn't even be necessary. Why don't we simply believe those who have lived through hell in Gaza?