Neon Joins 'NAZA' Release, Expanding Reach of Gaza Airstrikes Documentary

Neon has joined the release of "NAZA," a documentary built from anonymous interviews with 24 members of the Israeli military detailing the country's airstrikes on Gaza and the killing of Palestinian civilians. The deal, negotiated by MK2 Films, puts a prominent U.S. distributor behind a film that many in the industry assumed mainstream companies would avoid.

The partnership signals a shift in the distribution market. Filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor's previous documentary, "No Other Land" (2024), co-directed with Hamdan Ballal and Basel Adra, went without a U.S. distribution partner despite its eventual success. Abraham said at the time that he "read it as something that's completely political." Industry speculation held that traditional distributors had decided documentaries about Israel and Palestine were too controversial for the American market.

"No Other Land" proved the skeptics wrong. Released independently, the film about Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank grossed $3.6 million in theaters worldwide and won the Oscar for best documentary feature.

What does the Neon deal change for 'NAZA'?

Neon will "work with the filmmakers to expand its footprint and to reach larger audiences and communities," the company said. Exact details of how the distributor will support the film have not yet been disclosed. What's clear is the direction: wider theatrical reach and broader community engagement than the filmmakers could mount alone.

"Yuval and Rachel have created one of the best films of the year; it's an extraordinary work of art and eyewitness testimony that stands alongside landmark documentaries like Laura Poitras' 'Citizenfour' and Joshua Oppenheimer's 'The Act of Killing,'" Neon said in a statement. "At the heart of Neon's mission is a commitment to championing the best cinema from around the world. We're proud to join the incredible team already working on the film and help bring it to the widest audience possible."

How has the film performed so far?

"NAZA" premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where critics embraced it and it won the special jury prize. The film then set an independent theatrical release in the U.S. and abroad. After opening in American theaters on September 30, it passed $500,000 at the box office less than two weeks into a plan to play 85 theaters across 30 cities.

The film already had momentum before Neon came aboard. Prior to the deal, "NAZA" had secured distribution plans across 50 countries. The Guardian, which produced the film, plans to make it available to stream free on its website in November — an unusually open access move for a theatrical documentary still in release.

The production credits span several banners. The Guardian produced "NAZA" with James Wilson's JW Films, in association with Placeholder Films and Unseen Hand. Jonathan Glazer, director of "The Zone of Interest," serves as executive producer.

For the filmmakers, the Neon deal represents a second act after the "No Other Land" distribution saga. The market that once passed on their Oscar-winning film is now investing in its follow-up, with a distributor that frames the film not as a controversy to manage but as "one of the best films of the year." How wide Neon can push that message — and whether the November free-streaming window on The Guardian's site becomes part of the strategy — will shape the film's reach in the months ahead.