VENICE: A chilling new documentary about Israel’s AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza by two Israeli directors won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday.
“NAZA”, by Oscar-winning Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Szor, had been tipped by some critics for the top Golden Lion prize for best film after a record-breaking 25-minute ovation at its premiere on Thursday.
It won the special jury prize instead, an award handed out each year by the jury to recognise an outstanding work.
In their 80-minute film, Abraham and Szor spoke to 24 different Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who outlined the AI-powered targeting systems used to bombard Gaza that have killed tens of thousands of civilians.
“The Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design, actions of murder and policies that are based on the total dehumanisation of Palestinians,” Abraham told the audience.
The film was described as an “urgent, gut-punch” by film magazine Screen, while The Hollywood Reporter said it inspired “outrage...indignity as well. Most certainly disgust, on a profound level, for the current Israeli regime”.
