Social media has given us a front-row seat to the horrors being inflicted upon the Palestinian people. In real-time, genocide is being documented by those trying to survive it. History has a habit of repeating itself, but unlike before we have a near-daily supply of documentation from the ground. There’s so much footage and images that numerous documentaries can be made. As we enter 2025, the awards circuit is spotlighting the situation with several projects, including From Ground Zero
, Palestine’s entry to the Oscars’ International Feature Film category.

22 Palestinian filmmakers living through war capture their lives in Gaza over the past year, revealing stories beyond the headlines. Their work offers a striking view of life’s fragility and the resilience of love in the face of devastation.

Release Date

January 3, 2025

Runtime

112 Minutes

A Vital Project That Spotlights Humanity

Rashid Masharawi produced the anthology film through the Masharawi Fund for Cinema and Filmmakers, the purpose of which is to support young Palestinian filmmakers. The anthology consists of 22 short films filmed in 2023 by Aws Al-Banna, Ahmed Al-Danf, Basil Al-Maqousi, Mustafa Al-Nabih, Muhammad Alshareef, Ala Ayob, Bashar Al Balbisi, Alaa Damo, and more — all of whom are still with us.

From Ground Zero amplifies the voices of those who need to be heard.

With most of the stories being under six minutes, the film offers various perspectives on the current realities in Gaza, documenting the fear, anxiety, hope, and resilience of the people on the ground through various forms and genres. The harshness of their surroundings emboldens these creatives to experience life and passion through the camera and project their humanity onto the world.
Context Outweighs Uneven Presentation

From a critical lens, the anthology is uneven in structure, but that is hardly a knock against the picture, as context outweighs everything. In a perfect world, From Ground Zero wouldn’t need to exist, but it is an absolute necessity now that it does. The documentary is incredibly intimate and stunning at times, especially considering the strength it takes to conceive a project like this.
However, as I watched, through blurry vision, it became clear the film is more than an art form. The philosophical question, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” kept repeating in my head because the film demands that we hear the truth of the situation, whether we are in the forest or not. From Ground Zero amplifies the voices of those who need to be heard.

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Some segments could have been elaborated on more, whereas others were sufficiently executed within the limited timeframe. But what carries the film is the deep human connection. A window is not just being opened for us to gaze through; we are being transported into these small yet effective moments in the lives of those suffering but who remain hopeful. In this case, the context is what drives the documentary.
From Ground Zero Is A Documentary That Demands You Listen & Care

From Ground Zero exists in a gray area as a piece of art. The documentary was born from necessity, circumventing traditional methods of film production. It is presented to us not as a bid for awards consideration, entertainment, or even as a means of being informative. The film, comprised of over 20 stories, is a cry for help. A cry for humanity. A cry for justice. The film serves as the sound the tree makes when it falls in the forest. Some may consider it uneven, directionless, or meandering, but how does one critique life simply unfolding?
Life is not always structurally sound or narratively driven; it is a muddled mess of emotions and experiences, and From Ground Zero distills that concisely and powerfully. Ultimately, the film is a testament to the power of cinema, the power of art, and how the construction of this project defies expectations because the subjects and artists believe and have hope. It is a must-watch, but as the film comes to an end, the sobering reality hits that this isn’t over.
From Ground Zero is now playing in theaters. The film is 112 minutes long and not rated.

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Pros

The film defies expectations
From Ground Zero is a must-watch
The film is carried by human connection

Cons

Certain segments could have had more elaboration