Palestine

About the Project
Launched by filmmaker Rashid Masharawi during the ongoing war on Gaza, From Ground Zero emerged from the belief that the true voices of Gazans are rarely heard. The initiative seeks to document their lived experiences, tell untold stories, and preserve collective memory.
Following the success of the original films – screened at major Arab and international festivals and nominated for broadcast on television – the new initiative, From Ground Zero +, expands the vision with eight short documentaries (20–30 minutes each) and two feature-length films. Each film can stand alone, offering multiple perspectives and innovative methods of production and storytelling across diverse locations throughout the Gaza Strip.

Year: 2025
Created by: Rashid Masharawi
Directors: Etimad Washah, Abdulrahman Sabbah, Muhammad Al-Sharif, Ahmed Hassouna, Rabab Khamis, Alaa Damo, Aws Al-Banna, Mustafa Al-Nabih, Nidal Damo, Reema Mahmoud

Rashid Masharawi is a Palestinian filmmaker and screenwriter from Gaza, self-taught in the art of cinema. One of the earliest directors to film in the occupied territories, he gained international recognition with Curfew (1994) and Haifa (1996) – the first Palestinian film selected for the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1996, he founded a film production and distribution center in Ramallah, fostering generations of emerging Palestinian filmmakers.