'NAZA', a self-distributed documentary examining Israel's military operations in Gaza, has surpassed $500,000 in box office earnings. The film, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, expanded to 85 locations across 30 cities in North America after its debut at the IFC Center in New York City. The film is projected to gross $378,250 over the four-day weekend, averaging $4,450 per screen, bringing its total domestic earnings to approximately $504,074 by Monday.
'NAZA' premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the special jury prize and received a 20-minute standing ovation. It is being released independently in the U.S. with support from The Guardian and MK2, with plans to add more theaters in the coming weeks. The film currently holds a 100 percent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as a 'sober and thoroughly documented bombshell of an exposé.'
During the film's expansion, the Israeli-American Council organized a protest outside the Laemmle NoHo 7 theater in North Hollywood, where 'NAZA' was screening. IAC chief operating officer Aya Shechter stated, 'Our message is clear: Wherever lies are told about Israel, we will show up with the truth.' The group also organized protests during the film's premiere at the New York Film Festival in September. Earlier this month, the Israeli Defense Force criticized the film, calling it 'a distorted, misleading and disingenuous picture of the IDF’s target planning and striking process.'