A portrait of life under Occupation – ‘From Ground Zero’ | Wardah Bilal
‘Charm’
TIFF 2024 Official selection | Palestine’s Official Entry for the 2025 Academy Awards
A bold chorus of Palestinian voices that will not be hushed, ‘From Ground Zero: Stories from Gaza’ emerges as an urgent cinematic act of resistance in a world that still ignores the systematic destruction of Gaza.
This remarkable anthology, conceived by the acclaimed filmmaker Rashid Masharawi and executive produced by Academy Award Winner, Michael Moore, known for his previous work within the documentary genre, combines 22 short films made by 22 Palestinian filmmakers within the ongoing Israeli occupation and bombardment.
A cry sent from the heart of a besieged territory to an international audience that has all too frequently ignored it, each short is a self-contained world that ranges from fiction and documentary to animation and experimental film, showcasing different stories and their themes. Full of tenderness, grief, love, and imagination, these films bring us a real and raw look into the brutality of life in Gaza. These are not just films but a vital act of cinematic resistance within the arts. Together, they form a kaleidoscopic painting of lives being lived in defiance of oppression.
‘24 Hours’
The collection of shorts is emotionally diverse, encompassing themes of longing, necessity, charm, and devastation. A mother's hushed prayer, a child's laughing amidst the debris, or a little moment of normalcy in a world in disarray, each movie offers its own message. While some works are unapologetic documentations of the genocide, others tend toward poetic allegory. These are stories of the past, present, and future interwoven together to create a devastating portrait of life under occupation.
‘No’
Since many of the shorts were shot with limited equipment, most were shot on phones in blackout situations with the threatening sounds of drones above. The film’s power does not lie in its polished production; the film is distilled to its most essential elements, which can only be described as observation, connection, and preservation.
‘Awakening’
The anthology emphasises lived experience and emotions over the visual brutality which we have seen daily on social media for the last 11 months. The films utilise art to affirm Palestinian identity and preserve memories. Reema Mahmoud's ‘Selfie’, Khamis Masharawi's ‘Soft Skin’, and ‘Sorry Cinema’ by Ahmed Hassunah are just three noteworthy pieces that leave a mark on the audience, among the other 19 shorts which all bring about a different perspective.
A few movies are quiet; the anger of the people seethes through the screen. In addition to their common geography, they are united by a shared declaration of presence. We're here. We have not left. We have soul. We are Human.
‘A School Day’
‘From Ground Zero’ isn't just another documentary; it's a living archive of raw memories, humanity in its most vulnerable, and resistance. The film is now showing in cinemas across the UK, Scottish listings include the Glasgow Film Theatre, Cameo Picturehouse in Edinburgh, and the Hebrides International Film Festival, Inverness’s Eden Court, with more screenings to be announced. Learn more here: https://www.cosmiccatfilms.com/from-ground-zero'
Written by Wardah Bilal
