This powerful collection of 22 short films made by Palestinians living through the Gaza war is a testament to the resilience of cinema itself.
In Soft Skin, a group of children learn how to animate, creating a film about the nightmares they've been having since their parents began writing their names on their arms and legs. In A School Day, a young boy carries his schoolbag through rubble-strewn streets to visit his teacher’s cardboard "gravestone."
In Sorry Cinema, a filmmaker Ahmed Hassouna recalls how his film won an award at a festival he could not attend. He has never even seen his work projected on a big screen, as there are no film theatres in Gaza. Hassouna apologises to cinema itself, admitting that, for now, survival takes priority.
Everything is Fine offers a rare humorous moment, portraying a stand-up comedian determined to shower and put on a show despite living under constant attack. These are only a few of the poignant, and often heartbreaking, stories in this anthology.
The mix of styles, documentary and dramatization can feel jarring, but perhaps that’s intentional.
Lost Signal is a scripted one-take search for someone trapped under what appears to be real rubble, while 24 Hours documents an actual rescue effort. Not every short is equally effective, but their authenticity is undeniable, the less impactful instalments almost serve as breathers, moments of reprieve before the next emotional blow.
Emotional blows such as Taxi Waneesa, featuring a man and his donkey going about their day. The man constantly looks to the sky as jets roar overhead, we see a bomb in the distance falling, only for the director to interrupt and explain to the audience the tragic reason she could not finish her film.
There’s no mention of Israel, Hamas, blame, or history. From Ground Zero is about ordinary people trying to survive while hoping for a better future.
There is something profoundly hopeful about creating art while, as one participant in the opening short puts it, "destruction, ruin and death are consuming everything around me." That the film exists at all is remarkable but thankfully, it does much more than simply exist.
