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A group of protesters holding signs and flags outside a movie theater, with the film title 'NAZA' visible on a marquee.Photo via The Hollywood Reporter

NAZA Screening Sparks Protests in LA: ‘Show the Other Side’

Protests erupt outside NAZA’s U.S. theatrical debut as Israeli-American groups demand balance in how Oct. 7 is portrayed.

By Overseas1 min read
Current hype level41

NAZA hit U.S. Theaters Friday — and with it, a storm of protest outside Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood. Israeli-Americans and members of the Jewish community gathered before the screening, waving flags, holding signs that read “Learn the Facts. Know the Truth,” and displaying images from the Oct. 7 attack.

The film, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, is a documentary examining the systems behind the mass killing of Palestinian civilians. It’s also the reason why the IAC (Israeli-American Council) has now made its presence felt at every major premiere: New York, Venice, and now Los Angeles. At Venice, NAZA won the Special Jury Prize.

In New York, it drew a crowd of survivors, including Rom El-Hai and Shalev Biton, who spoke out against what they called a one-sided narrative. Now, in LA, the message was sharper: show the other side. “We’re not saying don’t show the film,” said IAC co-chair Tal Shuster. “We’re saying: if you screen it, invite a survivor.

Let them speak. Don’t just show one side.” 

The protesters weren’t just calling for balance. They were demanding context. The film’s creators have stated they made it “out of a sense of obligation” to confront Israel’s role in civilian casualties.

That framing, to some, feels like omission. To others, it’s necessary truth. And so the debate continues, not in a quiet theater, but on the sidewalk, where flags are raised and facts are contested. The next screening?

Still weeks away. But the conversation isn’t waiting.

Reported from

This article was written by the CutMirchi desk from the reporting above. Facts are attributed to their original publishers.

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