“NAZA,” an Israeli-directed documentary alleging that the country’s military knowingly approved strikes expected to kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza, debuted at No. 1 at the Italian box office this week, outselling Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame Encore.”
The film grossed roughly €1.1 million ($1.2 million) on Monday and Tuesday, about triple the €356,000 ($404,000) collected by the superhero re-release in its second week. Distributor I Wonder Pictures had planned a three-day event from Sept. 28 to 30, then extended the run after strong advance sales and packed early screenings.
Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, two of the four directors behind the Oscar-winning “No Other Land,” spent three years making the film. They interviewed 24 people presented as Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel on Tel Aviv rooftops at night, with identities concealed. The title comes from a Hebrew military acronym for expected civilian deaths. The film builds on reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by Israeli outlets and The Guardian, a producer of the documentary.
“NAZA” premiered Sept. 10 at the Venice Film Festival, where it drew a record 25-minute standing ovation and won the Special Jury Prize.
Israeli officials have rejected its claims. The military questioned the film’s credibility, asking how anonymous interviewees could know what they describe and arguing that national strategy lies beyond the knowledge of junior soldiers. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir accused the filmmakers of “grave, false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders” and raised the possibility of legal action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the directors to lose their citizenship, and Israel’s culture minister branded the film “vile.”
Abraham has said he wants Israelis to see the film. Critics who have praised it note that much of its material appeared in earlier reporting, and that the spare rooftop format gives those disclosures a sharper impact.
The Italian result arrives as the film expands worldwide. It has secured theatrical distribution in 56 territories, including across the Middle East, and will stream free on The Guardian’s website in late November. Marvel’s re-release, meanwhile, opened with $86 million globally two weeks ago.
