At Short of the Week, our focus is short films, so when a feature film grabs our attention, it’s usually for two reasons: either it’s inspired by a short, or it’s an anthology of shorts. From Ground Zero falls into the latter category. Submitted as the official Palestinian entry for the 2025 Best International Feature Film Oscar, the film comprises 22 short films, crafted by 22 different filmmakers. If memory serves me right, the last time an anthology made a splash in that race was ten years ago, at the 87th Oscars, when Argentina’s submission, Wild Tales, was nominated.

Needless to say, seeing shorts represented outside of the three short categories piqued our interest and furthermore the concept of an omnibus is always fascinating – offering audiences multiple stories and perspectives that combine to create a unified narrative. This is especially true for From Ground Zero, which was ‘born against the backdrop of conflict’ by established director Rashid Masharawi with the hope of giving a voice to filmmakers in Gaza.

“The Ground Zero project was designed to give a voice to the people of Gaza and to document their experiences, which often go unheard.”

The resulting anthology presents a wide range of approaches – documentary, fiction, animation, and experimental – showcasing the diversity of stories and experiences from Gaza over the past months. Through this project, Masharawi has not only empowered Palestinian filmmakers to reclaim their narratives but also challenges harmful stereotypes. The anthology provides an intimate, firsthand account of life in Gaza as seen through the eyes of its artists – individuals whose stories are frequently dehumanized or ignored by mainstream media.

Each of the 22 shorts reflects the daily hopes and struggles of its creator, providing a stark contrast to their realities. In creating the anthology, Masharawi was not only looking for projects that documented the experiences of life on the ground in Gaza, he was also seeking unique visions that captured the reality in creative ways. The sheer act of creating these shorts under such unimaginable rough conditions is a triumph in itself. From Ground Zero offers sensitive, compelling and powerful portraits of life in Gaza, while introducing global audiences to its remarkably vibrant and creative local art scene.

Following its World Premiere at the 2024 edition of TIFF, From Ground Zero went on to be selected at the Thessaloniki and Cairo Film Festivals. Set for a U.S. release on January 3, 2025, distributors Watermelon Pictures have granted SotW audiences an exclusive look at one of the 22 shorts in the anthology – Sorry, Cinema by Ahmad Hassoun (above).

In the 7-minute short Hassoun, a Palestinian filmmaker from Northern Gaza, turns the camera on himself as he apologises to Cinema as a once-prolific filmmaker who now spends his days running for shelter. With all his time now dedicated to protecting his family, and unable to find any time for his creative aspirations, Sorry, Cinema is a powerful autobiographical tale, with the format offering a clever and emotionally effective structure to convey Hassoun’s personal story. A testament to inspiring human strength and creativity, it’s the perfect introduction to what From Ground Zero has to offer. 

From Ground Zero is currently FYC in both the Best International Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature Film categories at the 97th Academy Awards.