Palestinian filmmaker and producer Rashid Masharawi sat down with Screen International to discuss From Ground Zero, a collection of 22 short films made during the Gaza war that has been shortlisted for the Oscars’ international feature category. Watch above.
The acclaimed director, who curated the anthology of shorts from emerging Palestinian filmmakers, explains how the project came together, why Michael Moore has come on board and what an Academy Award nomination would mean for those involved.
From Ground Zero captures life in Gaza amidst the ongoing war, blending approaches that include animation, documentary, and fiction.
The film received its North America premiere at Toronto International Film Festival and was released in US theatres on January 3 through Watermelon Pictures. It was produced by France’s Coorigines Productions alongside the Masharawi Fund in co-production with Watermelon Pictures, Turkey’s Metafora Productions, Jordan’s Royal Film Commission and UAE’s Sharjah Art Foundation.
