'Gut-punch' film sets new 25-minute record as longest standing ovation ever at Venice

The night the rain fell like a curtain over the Lido, the audience at Venice’s Sala Grande didn’t just applaud, they clapped for a full 25 minutes. No other film had ever commanded that kind of standing ovation, and it was NAZA that stole the spotlight. The documentary, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was a raw, unflinching look at the systems behind Israel’s planned mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. As the applause thundered, Palestinian flags unfurled, and the film’s titlemeaning “collateral damage” in Hebrewechoed through the hall.

Look, Venice has always been about glamour and glitz, but this year it turned into a battlefield of emotion. The rain started just as the festival was winding down before its closing ceremony, and the audience didn’t wait for the lights to turn on. They surged forward, hands raised, as if the weather itself was a call to action. The documentary’s night‑time shots of Tel Aviv rooftops added a layer of immediacy that made the audience feel like they were standing on the front lines. The directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, stood solemn, a stark contrast to the usual theatrical tears that often accompany premieres at Venice’s Sala Grande. Their silence was a statement in itself, letting the film speak louder than any applause.

The word “NAZA,” derived from the Hebrew phrase Nezek Agavi, translates to “collateral damage” or the expected number of civilians in an airstrike. Naming a film after such a term is a notable step, especially when the content dives deep into testimonies from anonymous intelligence personnel and soldiers involved in the conflict. The documentary doesn’t shy away from exposing the mechanics of targeted killings in Gaza, a topic that has been largely shrouded in secrecy. By focusing on the human cost, it turns the abstract into a visceral reality for viewers.

The 25‑minute ovation didn’t just eclipse the previous Venice record set by the docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajabwhich earned just shy of 24 minutesbut it also surpassed the current Cannes record held by Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, which managed 22 minutes in 2006. That’s a staggering leap. The fact that a documentary on such a contentious issue could command the longest standing ovation in Venice history speaks volumes about the power of film to provoke collective empathy and outrage. It also shows that audiences are hungry for truth, even when it comes wrapped in a gritty, unfiltered narrative.

Next Best Picture called NAZA “engrossing” and “essential viewing,” while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as “casting a chilling light on what is happening now in Gaza.” These endorsements aren’t just praise; they’re a recognition that the film has succeeded where many others have failed: it delivers a narrative that is both informative and emotionally resonant. The Guardian’s involvement in production, alongside James Wilson, adds an extra layer of credibility and a sense of journalistic integrity that few documentaries manage to achieve.

The real story here isn’t the record‑breaking ovation; it’s the people whose lives are upended by the policies exposed in NAZA. The film gives voice to anonymous soldiers and intelligence officers, shedding light on the human cost of war that is often reduced to statistics. By presenting these testimonies, the documentary turns abstract numbers into faces, making the conflict personal. It’s a reminder that behind every headline, there are real people whose lives are irrevocably altered.

Here’s the thing: NAZA proves that cinema can be a catalyst for social change. It shows that audiences are not only willing but eager to confront uncomfortable truths. The record‑breaking applause is evidence that people are ready to stand upliterally and figurativelyagainst injustice. In a world where media often sanitizes conflict, NAZA refuses to do so, offering a raw, unfiltered look that demands attention.

The documentary’s impact will ripple beyond Venice. As the world watches, the film will likely spark conversations in policy circles, academic forums, and everyday living rooms. The 25 minutes of applause may have ended, but the dialogue it ignited will carry on for years to come.