From Ground Zero (Arabic: قصص غير محكية من غزة من المسافة صفر) is a 2024 anthology film directed by 22 different Palestinian directors.[1] The film is made up of 22 short films, including documentaries, fiction, animation and experimental films about the current situation of the people of Gaza in the midst of the Palestinian genocide.[2]
| From Ground Zero | |
|---|---|
 TIFF release poster | |
| Directed by | Aws Al-Banna Ahmed Al-Danf Basil Al-Maqousi Mustafa Al-Nabih Muhammad Alshareef Ala Ayob Bashar Al Balbisi Alaa Damo Awad Hana Ahmad Hassunah Mustafa Kallab Satoum Kareem Mahdi Karera Rabab Khamees Khamees Masharawi Wissam Moussa Tamer Najm Abu Hasna Nidaa Damo Nidal Mahmoud Reema Etimad Weshah Islam Al Zrieai |
| Produced by | Rashid Masharawi Laura Nikolov |
| Edited by | Pauline Eon Denis Le Paven |
| Music by | Naseer Shamma |
Production companies | Masharawi Fund For Films & Filmmakers in Gaza Coorigines Production Metafora Production Sharjah Art Foundation International Media Support Akka Films The Royal Film Commission Doha Film Institute |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Countries | Palestine France Qatar Jordan United Arab Emirates |
| Language | Arabic |
From Ground Zero premiered at the 5th Amman International Film Festival on 5 July 2024[3] and has it's North American premiere at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2024 as part of the TIFF Docs section.[4] It was selected as the Palestinian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.[5]
Contents
edit- "Out Of Frame", Directed by Nidaa Abu Hasna
- "Hill Of Heaven", Directed by Kareem Satoum
- "Charm", Directed by Bashar Al-Balbeisi
- "Awakening", Directed by Mahdi Karirah
- "Jad and Natalie", Directed by Aws Al-Banna
- "No", Directed by Hana Awad
- "Everything is fine", Directed by Nidal Damo
- "Taxi Waneesa", Directed by E’temad Weshah
- "24 Hours", Directed by Alaa Damo
- "Selfies", Directed by Reema Mahmoud
- "No Signal", Directed by Muhammad Alshareef
- "Soft Skin", Directed by Khamees Masharawi
- "Flash Back", Directed by Islam Al Zrieai
- "Fragments", Directed by Basil Al-Maqousi
- "Offerings", Directed by Mustafa Al-Nabih
- "School Day", Directed by Ahmed Al-Danf
- "Farah and Meryam", Directed by Wissam Moussa
- "Overburden", Directed by Ala’a Ayob
- "The Teacher", Directed by Tamer Najm
- "Recycling", Directed by Rabab Khamees
- "Echo", Directed by Mustafa Kallab
- "Sorry Cinema", Directed by Ahmad Hassouna
Idealization and production
editAfter the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, film director Rashid Masharawi founded the Masharawi Fund for Cinema and Filmmakers in Gaza with the purpose of supporting young Palestinian filmmakers to express themselves and tell their stories through cinema.[6] Masharawi supported the production and post-production of the 22 short films that make up From Ground Zero filmed in different parts of the Gaza Strip at the end of 2023.[7]
Release
editThe film was scheduled to have its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, but was pulled because organizers wanted to keep politics out of the festival.[8] In response, Masharawi held a projection outside the place as a sign of protest.[9] It had its world premiere on July 5, 2024, at the 5th Amman International Film Festival,[10] then screened in mid-July 2024 at the 70th Taormina Film Festival,[11] on September 9, 2024, at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival[12] and on September 28, 2024, at the 17th Toronto Palestine Film Festival.[13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bedirian, Razmig. "From Ground Zero: A moving collection of 22 short films made by Gazan filmmakers". The National. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "Films from Gaza in a World Premiere at the Amman International Film Festival". Amman International Film Festival. 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "Palestinian stories take centre stage at Amman Film Festival – Amman International Film Festival". 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy. "TIFF Docs line-up includes Edna O'Brien, Adam Kinzinger profiles". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "Le long métrage palestinien " Ground Zero " représentera la Palestine à la 97e édition des Oscars". AL24 News (in French). August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ "Palestinian filmmaker features collection". ifilm-آیفیلم. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ Bleasdale, John (2024-07-16). "Palestinian Director Rashid Masharawi on Producing 22 Short Films in Gaza During the War". Variety. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "Palestinian Filmmakers' Trials and Triumphs in Cannes Film Festival". world-arabia.com. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ Iraqi, Amjad (2024-07-02). "'Film was the best way to convey our art amid the suffering in Gaza'". +972 Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "From Ground Zero - Spotlight". Amman International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ Goldbart, Max (2024-06-28). "Taormina Film Fest Unveils 2024 Lineup, With 'Saint Clare' Set To Open Plus Movies Starring Nicolas Cage, Daisy Edgar-Jones". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "From Ground Zero". TIFF. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
- ^ "From Ground Zero". Toronto Palestine Film Festival. 2024-09-28. Retrieved 2024-08-23.