A documentary examining the Israeli military systems behind the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza received a record-breaking standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday.

NAZA, directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, drew a record-breaking 24-and-a-half-minute standing ovation at its world premiere, the longest at Venice, according to Variety.

The reception surpassed the 22-minute ovation given last year to Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, which tells the story of the six-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024.

Members of the Venice audience held Palestinian flags during the applause, while Abraham and Szor, who were visibly emotional, were embraced by the film’s executive producer, The Zone of Interest director, Jonathan Glazer.

Online, the documentary received heavy praise from festival-goers and many activists.

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