Palestinian film 'From Ground Zero' takes Gaza stories around the world, up to the Oscars
As the Israel-Hamas conflict has entered its second year, the ongoing conflict is addressed by an ambitious Palestinian film, From Ground Zero.
The collection of 22 short films was made by filmmakers from Gaza, and includes documentary, animation and drama sections.
The project was overseen by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi.
As it has been selected to the Oscars, I met him and his team in Paris.
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Rashid Masharawi is one of the first Palestinian filmmakers to have directed cinema projects in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He made his first film, Travel Document, before the first Intifada in 1986, followed The Shelter in 1989, Dar O Dour in 1990, and Long Days In Gaza in 1991.
He is himself from Gaza and regularly works from France.
Over 12 months, he has been working on a singular project, with 22 other collaborators, filmmakers, actors, writers, animators, to produce the series titled From Ground Zero.
From Ground Zero is the result of an initiative launched by the Masharawi Fund for Gaza filmmakers, which was established in November 2023. The fund's mission is to support and promote emerging artistic voices from the territory.
This collection offers a unique insight into the daily lives of Gaza's inhabitants. It examines their fears, dreams and hopes in the current crisis.
The film is presented in the form of a 112-minutes feature divided into two parts consisting of the 22 short films.
Contributors to the project include Reema Mahmoud, Muhammad Al Sharif, Tamer Nijim, and Alaa Islam Ayou.
In May this year, Masharawi had to hold a screening of the film outside the grounds of Cannes Film Festival, to protest over the fact that at it not being selected for the festival.
After a screening at the Toronto Film Festival in September, From Ground Zero is touring festivals in November and December, in Europe, in North Africa and in South West Asia.
In Europe, it has been shown in France at the French Arab Film Festival, in London, and at the Bristol Palestine Film Festival.
It is now due to be screened in Morocco and Egypt.
It has also been chosen to represent Palestine at the Oscars in the US in 2025.
Rashid Masharawi and his executive producer Laura Nikolov tell RFI how the project came about, what they hope to achieve with it and where the film could go next.
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