Gaza Film NAZA Smashes Italy's Box Office With USD1.24M Debut
The film debuted Monday with €451,872 and 60,467 admissions, more than double the €179,612 earned that day by the re-release of "Avengers: Endgame," Cinetel data showed.
On Tuesday it held the top position, adding €623,164 and drawing more than 83,000 viewers. Its cumulative gross stands at €1,096,816 from 146,720 admissions.
NAZA was originally booked as a three-day cinema event, Sept. 28-30, in 515 Italian theaters, many of which sold out. Screenings will continue past the initial run because of strong demand.
Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor directed the documentary, which investigates the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza through the accounts of Israeli military and intelligence personnel.
Filmed in secret over three years on Tel Aviv rooftops, it draws on testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders. Their identities, voices and appearances were digitally altered to shield them.
Those interviewed describe systems built to identify, track and hit targets even when civilian deaths were anticipated. Some say they saw residential areas serving as shelters set on fire, and Palestinians killed during food distribution in Gaza.
The title comes from NAZA, shorthand used by Israel's military intelligence agency, Aman, for the number of civilians expected to die in an airstrike.
The film recently won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival, following a standing ovation of roughly 25 minutes at its premiere.
It has also provoked a backlash from Israeli officials. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would push legislation targeting those who “defame” Israeli soldiers, after the film was screened.
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