A dark chapter in world history is being written as you read this, as the senseless cycle of violence in the West Bank continues to put countless innocent civilians in the crossfire. The current ongoing conflict is yet another tragic installment in a seemingly never-ending saga between Palestine and Israel. It’s an issue as devastating as it is controversial, but it’s hard for anybody to deny that so many human lives have been snuffed out long before they should have.
Regardless of your stance on the war in Gaza, the people who live there and did nothing to warrant these attacks on their safety are suffering, which makes a film like From Ground Zero a genuine miracle. Palestine’s official submission for the Best International Film race at the 2025 Academy Awards, From Ground Zero is an anthology film that presents an astounding twenty-two distinct short films all created in Gaza during the current crisis. Each film boasts a unique story, filmmaker, and style, but each of them ultimately carries with them the same message: the abhorrent violence in Gaza must end.
What Is ‘From Ground Zero’ About?

From Ground Zero features twenty-two short films from over a dozen filmmakers, each with distinct creative voices they bring to the table. Both fictional narratives and non-fiction documentaries are a part of From Ground Zero’s ensemble, all with varying genres like drama, comedy, and even a few animated segments. Beginning with a tone-setting short called “Selfies” (directed by Reema Mahmoud) and ending with a puppet show short titled “Awakening” (directed by Mahdi Karirah), that are but a few examples of the creative diversity present in From Ground Zero.
Several of the shorts in From Ground Zero could easily be considered for the short categories at the Academy Awards had that been the way they were submitted. Some notable stand-outs to start with are “Soft Skin” – Khamees Masharawi’s documentary/animation hybrid that features a creative stop-motion cartoon animated by children, “Hill of Heaven” – Kareem Satoum’s thought-provoking drama about a man who is more comfortable sleeping in a body bag instead of a bed, and 24 Hours – Alaa Damo’s shocking documentation of one man’s account of being trapped under rubble on not one, not two, but three separate occasions. Other particularly tear-jerking shorts are Muhammad Alshareef’s “No Signal”, which tells a heartbreaking story in a single take, and Ahmed Al-Danf’s “School Day”, which chronicles a school boy’s trip to school only to end with a sucker punch of a twist.
The main drawback to an anthology film like From Ground Zero having so many different short films is that there are inevitably going to be some that are better than others. It’s a point that’s worth mentioning, but ultimately pretty moot, as it is more than admirable that the film opted to employ so many different filmmakers of varying experience levels. The simple fact that these movies were even able to be made given the obvious circumstances alone is a true cinematic accomplishment.
Several Harsh Realities Carry Across All of ‘From Ground Zero’s Stories

One of the shorts in From Ground Zero, “Flash Back” by Islam Al Zrieai, makes mention of the sounds of Israeli drones being constant throughout the city. This is chronicled by a young woman who survived the worst possible experience, and now wears headphones at almost all times to drown out the incessant noise of planes above. Even though all the shorts are entirely disconnected from each other, that ominous humming of the planes is heard almost constantly in just about every other short film. That is really what makes From Ground Zero really shine, as every sequence in the film shares exactly the grim reality that the innocent civilians of Gaza are experiencing. It’s a reality that is as omnipresent and as inescapable as the ocean the city borders. Even worse, it’s a set of circumstances that has completely upended the lives of the people who live there.
As shorts like Aws Al-Banna’s “Jad and Natalie” clearly show, the conflict in Gaza has taken so much more than a physical toll on the city. With time and resources, buildings and homes can be replaced with newer, sturdier structures. The people who lived in those structures, however, cannot, and the loved ones of countless individuals will always have an irreparable mark thanks to this tragedy. It may sound like a small consolation now, but From Ground Zero’s existence at least gives a voice to those who historically would not have one.
‘From Ground Zero’ Is One of 2024’s Best Examples of the Power of Cinema

As remarkable as these short films’ existence is, there is still an unmistakable underlying sense of tragedy involved, and not just because of the wanton destruction and object loss of life. There are two more short films in From Ground Zero that are very much worth mentioning. Both of these shorts center upon the unique cost that aspiring filmmakers living in Gaza have been forced to face.
The first is the aptly titled “Sorry Cinema” by Ahmad Hassouna. The short introduces Hassouna as a filmmaker and storyteller who has given everything he has to pursue his passion, only for him to sadly forsake that passion to better provide for his family in this conflict. The second is “Taxi Waneesa,” which sees director E’temad Weshah tell the tragic tale of a taxi driver and his loyal donkey. At least, that’s what this story was supposed to be. Instead, the short ends with Weshah herself explaining why the short could not be completed, citing her own personal tragedy understandably taking away her passion to continue.
From Ground Zero highlights the great conundrum of modern-day filmmaking. The art of cinema is so important because it shows why cinema is so unimportant. There is almost no better way to show how the world or a set of circumstances really are than simply showing an audience, whether it be an artistic expression or a straightforward documentary. From Ground Zero is important because it puts the spotlight on an issue far more important than making movies.
From Ground Zero is now playing in select theaters.

Your changes have been saved

While some of the stories are more effective than others, “ineffective” is the last word to describe the inspiring and though-provoking ‘From Ground Zero’.

Pros

A diverse array of voices and stories.
A refusal to sanitize/embelish the circumstances of Gaza’s civilians.
“Sorry Cinema” and “Taxi Waneesa” are particularly compelling tragedies.

Cons

Some shorts admittedly aren’t as engaging as some of the other entries.

Release Date

January 3, 2025

Runtime

112 Minutes

Producers

Rashid Masharawi
, Michael Moore

Studio

Masharawi Fund for Films and Filmmakers in Gaza and Coorigines Production

Buy Tickets