Protests Erupt Against Controversial Documentary at NYC Film Festival

On Saturday, a significant number of Israelis and Jewish Americans gathered outside the Lincoln Center in New York City to protest the premiere of the contentious documentary NAZA at the New York Film Festival.

According to reports, the rally was organized by the Israeli-American Council (IAC). During the event, LED screens on trucks showcased portions from October 7: Bearing Witness to the Massacre, which documents the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, featuring footage captured by Hamas during their brutal assault at the Nova festival.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the creators of NAZA of inciting antisemitism, while the head of the Israeli military pledged to identify soldiers who collaborated on this project.

“We are fighting against global antisemitic incitement,” Netanyahu stated when NAZA was previously screened at the Venice Film Festival. “When such sentiment comes from within our ranks, it’s simply intolerable.”

Along with the footage displayed during the protest, some screens showed documented evidence that contradicted claims made in the film, raising questions about its sources, methods, and production quality.

Protesters waved Israeli and U.S. flags and held signs featuring images from the massacre in southern Israel. Messages on the placards urged onlookers to “Learn the facts. Know the truth.”

At least one truck circling the theater accused NAZA of being “propaganda disguised as a documentary.”

Notable attendees included Nova festival survivors Rom El-Hai and Shelev Biton, as well as Younes Al-Garnaoui, an Israeli-Bedouin who rescued numerous individuals, including Nova festival attendees, on October 7.

The organizers of the protest expressed their aim to counter the narrative depicted in NAZA, ensuring that the events of October 7, which ignited the ensuing conflict, are not forgotten.

IAC emphasized the significance of their presence, stating, “Films have editors. History does not. We will not allow October 7 to be erased from the story.”

The documentary, directed by Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by the British Guardian, relies heavily on anonymous sources making unverified claims.

This 80-minute documentary was secretly filmed from rooftops in Tel Aviv and utilizes reporting from the years 2023 to 2025.

The title NAZA stands for a Hebrew acronym meaning “collateral damage,” and it claims to illustrate that the IDF utilized artificial intelligence for targeting in Gaza, accepting a high civilian death toll during the initial stages of the conflict.

Additionally, Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has joined Netanyahu in calling for the filmmakers’ citizenship to be revoked, accusing them of “treason against the state.”

The IDF has refuted the claims made in NAZA.