Israel unleashes a 'contra-documentary' in response to Naza

Israel delivers the anti-documentary "Naza: The real story", a 49-minute piece released as a direct response to the acclaimed film "Naza", and available for free on the official site with English subtitles, according to ANSA.

Meta description: Israel's Naza: The real story (49 min) responds to the film Naza; available free on the official site with English subtitles.

What is "Naza: The real story"

"Naza: The real story" is a contra-documentary produced in Israel that positions itself as a direct refutation of the allegations contained in the film "Naza". According to ANSA, the direction is attributed to the Lieutenant Colonel Roi Danino, Hagai Gutman, and Ariel Averbuch. The piece runs 49 minutes and, for now, is available for free only on the official site, with English subtitles.

The producers describe the film as an explicit refutation of the original documentary's claims, focusing on challenging testimonies from anonymous informants and reconstructions presented by "Naza". ANSA reports that the strategy of releasing the material only on the official site aims to control the context of the dissemination and allow the audience to access the counterpoint directly.

Context and reception of the original documentary

The film that sparked the response, "Naza", was directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, according to ANSA coverage. "Naza" investigates and attributes to the Israeli army a systematic raids in Gaza strategy, per the documentary's storyline.

The work enjoyed wide international circulation and, in Italy, achieved notable commercial success: according to ANSA, it had accumulated more than €2,232,000 in box office revenue since its premiere on September 28, distributed by I Wonder Pictures. Festival and theater success also brought strong controversy: part of Israeli public opinion questioned the narratives' veracity; the film's authors reportedly received death threats; and government authorities, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly criticized the work, as reported by the press cited by ANSA.

The controversy surrounding "Naza" highlights the debate about responsibility, anonymous sources in documentaries, and the role of cinema as an instrument of investigation and political accusation — themes that motivated the production of the Israeli response.

Why this matters to Brazilian readers and Italian-descended audiences

The dispute between the two films has direct relevance for Italian audiences and Brazilians with cultural ties to Italy for three reasons:

• "Naza" received broad Italy screenings and significant commercial performance, making it a culturally relevant topic in Italian theaters and media; readers following Italian news or Italian culture will be interested in the local repercussion. See more in Notícias da Itália.
• Debates about award-winning festival productions influence the cultural and political agenda in countries where the films circulate — a point of interest for those following artistic cinema and the intersections between art and politics, whether in Italy or Brazil. See our section on Life in Italy for cultural topics.
• The controversy also sheds light on issues of press freedom, filmmaker safety, and government reaction to critical works, topics that may resonate in broader citizenship and rights discussions — a connection of interest to readers researching civic and legal topics, including on the Cidadania Italiana page.

The public debate and next steps

According to ANSA, the release of the contra-documentary intensifies public debate both in Israel and abroad. Making the counter-film available only on the official site may limit its initial circulation, but also ensures that the controversy continues in journalistic and political arenas. It remains to be seen whether the contra-documentary will be shown at festivals or cinemas, as happened with "Naza", and how Italian critics and cultural institutions will respond to the new piece.

"Naza: The real story" intends to dismantle the central claims of "Naza", especially those based on anonymous testimonies, according to the producers' statements and press coverage.

The audiovisual dispute between the two works demonstrates how documentaries can become protagonists in international public debates, involving cinema, politics, and filmmakers' safety. How Italy — where "Naza" had wide circulation — continues to address the issue will be observed by cultural audiences in Brazil and Europe.

Source: ANSA