Short films presented as an anthology feature present a key critical question: what is gained by presenting the component works of art together? Viewer reaction to different approaches and tones across the set will inevitably vary. Sometimes, the answer is purely a thematic or cultural through line that provides context and knowledge for each other. For one comprised of work by artists in occupied Gaza, created in the wake of Israel’s response to the October 7th, 2023 attacks, this is undoubtedly true. In the case of FROM GROUND ZERO, the volume and variety of the twenty-two short-form films also construct a monument to the tenacity of human creativity in the face of oppression, war, and genocide.
The films comprising FROM GROUND ZERO vary significantly in form and content, from Karim Satoum’s darkly comedic musing on being stuck in a warzone in HELL’S HEAVEN to Moustafa Kolab‘s single shot in ECHO of a reflective man paired with the audio of a harrowing phone call, or a documentary call for action by Hana Eleiwa in NO. However, if any short contains the thesis of presenting all the works comprising FROM GROUND ZERO, it is arguably a line from Mustafa Al-Nabih’s OFFERINGS which sums it up: “We know they had a past, dreams, a life, and a future”.
“The range shown in FROM GROUND ZERO showcases those dreams, lives and unrealised futures with a variety that is notable and remarkable.”
The range shown in FROM GROUND ZERO showcases those dreams, lives and unrealised futures with a variety that is notable and remarkable. There is an inventiveness in form that also stops the film from staying in the same register across the nearly two-hour runtime. Amongst the more conventional short narrative, dramatisation, and documentary pieces, we also have Khamis Masharawi showcasing paper-based stop-motion animation in SOFT SKIN, and the puppet show in Mahdi Karirah’s AWAKENING.
This variety is a key strength of FROM GROUND ZERO, which retains individual character and a multimodal expression of grief and pain. In that respect, the ensemble is well-paced and constructed. When observing ongoing tragedy at a privileged remove, it is easy for coverage to flatten it out, and for trauma to be smoothed over in a way that removes the emotional contours experienced by those suffering. FROM GROUND ZERO refuses to fall into that trap.
“Some pieces […] border on emotionally overwhelming. There is a skill in creating a feature-length program which does not overpower one’s ability to engage with the work being presented.”
Some pieces, such as the phone call relayed as part of ECHO, or the child’s role (Nour Al Sharif) in Mohammad Al Sharif’s NO SIGNAL, border on emotionally overwhelming. There is a skill in creating a feature-length program which does not overpower one’s ability to engage with the work being presented.
During NO, another statement stands out: “It’s certain, the happy days will return. In fact, I say no to all this despair. As long as you have the power to say no, then you can have hope.” FROM GROUND ZERO is one of the powerful ways some artists in Gaza have found to say no, using artistic expression as a bulwark against despair and as resistance to stealing a nation’s hope.