From Ground Zero (2025)

By: Mike Ward on Sunday, January 05

NR Running Time: 112 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

  • A fascinating look at 22 creative voices trying to amplify the experiences and struggle in war-torn Gaza, that From Ground Zero exists is something of a miracle.

  • Art is essential.

  • Even if some of the films don’t always connect, every film shares visuals or stories that paint a very vivid picture of life in modern-day Gaza

NO

  • While anthology movies tend to thrive on unpredictability, some cohesiveness in arranging or sequencing these films would make for perhaps a better viewing experience.

  • May touch on political sensitivities for some viewers.

  • Many of the films deal with the realities facing Palestinian people in Gaza. Though there are a variety of stories being shared, in a variety of different mediums, the subject matter is often very intense and may be difficult to watch for some viewers.


OUR REVIEW

Perhaps we will be saying statements like this for the foreseeable future when viewing films from marginalized or increasingly oppressed regions of the world, but the fact that a movie like From Ground Zero exists is something of a miracle. A renegade, rebellious act of expression, the film consists as an anthology of 22 short films, all documenting the experience of living in a war-torn Gaza during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Two recent films, the extraordinary documentary No Other Land and the Iranian-made, German-released, The Seed of the Sacred Fig are two films which have somehow made it to movie screens around the world after attempts to ban or eradicate their existence have failed. When curator and project director Rashid Masharawi wanted to find a way to tell stories from the escalating conflict in Gaza, he chose to create an organization known as The Masharawi Fund for Cinema and Filmmakers in Gaza. Through the organization, he helped with the production and post-production of numerous short films, all directed by Palestinian filmmakers. 22 of them were included to create From Ground Zero.

Masharawi’s efforts should be celebrated. What he has accomplished is nothing short of incredible. And the film serves as yet another reminder that art can thrive amid despair and despondency. 

From Ground Zero has recently been shortlisted as one of 15 finalists for Best International Feature category at the upcoming 97th Academy Awards. While the film is a wonderful concept, its final product can feel a bit uneven. However, the fact that these 22 filmmakers have a mechanism to share their films with the world is yet another reminder to why championing art and amplifying marginalized and vulnerable voices is so incredibly important.

Over the course of just under two hours, we see films of approximately 3-6 minutes in length. Some stories are fictionalized, others are short documentaries. Many of the filmmakers use their own family members, either on screen or behind-the-scenes. In one instance, a visual puppet show, with puppets on strings made out of various food cans and household items, finds the camera pull back to see that the filmmakers’ children and family members are manipulating the puppets off screen.

Not every idea works, but there’s an urgency to what is being shared. As film after film plays, we see consistent visuals and themes which permeate through all of these stories. Nearly all of the films eventually show, or feature, bombed out buildings and destroyed communities. More than one film explores attempts to find someone trapped beneath rubble. Children are prominently featured. The fear of war and not knowing what may happen from one moment to the next is palpable in every film presented. In the opening film, one woman narrates the contents of a letter she is writing, reflecting on her life and the experiences she had trying to survive in a war-torn region.

In an anthology film like this, with what appears to be minimal editing beyond that completed by the filmmakers themselves, Masharawi doesn’t seem to sequence the films in a recognizable way. Instead, he opts for an unpredictable approach with viewers, leaving you unsure as to what may be coming next. In that regard, the film can be a little like an open mic night experience - one great voice can be followed by one not so great and so on. 

But the bigger story is that these films have a chance to be seen at all. Masharawi notably had his film pulled from the 2024 Cannes Film Festival at the last minute with organizers telling him that they did not want political messages in their programming. Masharawi responded by setting up a location near the festival and screening each film to attendees.

While From Ground Zero may not reach all of its lofty expectations, the bravery of the storytellers, the creators, and the actors on screen deserve respect and Masharawi’s insistence on sharing their voices should be honored.

CAST & CREW

Project Director: Rashid Masharawi

Directors: Aws Al-Banna, Ahmed Al-Danf, Basil Al-Maqousi, Mustafa Al-Nabih, Muhammed 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 Wesnah, Islam Al Zrieai

Release Date: January 3, 2025
Watermelon Pictures