Award-Winning Documentaries Make Waves as Naza Gaza Hits Major Milestone

The award-winning investigative documentary naza gaza has achieved a significant milestone, drawing a worldwide audience of more than 1.5 million people in less than two months. Directed by Oscar-winning film-makers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by the Guardian, the film explores Israel's mass killing of civilians and surveillance of Palestinian populations in Gaza.

Since premiering to a record-breaking standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival in September, where it secured the Special Jury prize, the project has sparked extensive global discussion. It gained further international attention after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the identification and prosecution of the film's interviewees, and the country's culture minister threatened to strip the directors of their citizenship.

Naza Gaza crosses 1.5 million global viewers following its theatrical release across 47 territories.

The feature has performed strongly in several regions, making history in Italy with over 717,000 admissions to rank as the third most-watched theatrical documentary of all time in the country. Additional strong audience figures were recorded in the UK, Ireland, Benelux, and across the US and Canada following its acquisition by Neon. In France, despite strict regulations limiting screenings to a 48-hour window, the project topped the local box office across multiple screenings. Meanwhile, in Germany, the film drew tens of thousands of spectators amid deep cultural divisions surrounding the conflict.

Global Streaming Release Planned

Following its theatrical run across 47 territories, the production is scheduled for a free global streaming release on theguardian.com in early December. The Guardian is currently preparing the digital launch to accommodate a large international audience across multiple languages, expanding access beyond traditional cinema screenings.

Why it matters

The widespread theatrical success of this documentary highlights a growing global appetite for investigative cinema addressing contemporary conflicts. Reaching over 1.5 million people and securing major accolades, the film shapes international discourse around surveillance and civilian casualties in Gaza.