Organised in conjunction with Derby Friends of Hebron.

Charming, wistful, heartbreaking, hopeful and urgent. Palestine’s official entry to the 2025 Academy Awards, “From Ground Zero”, brings dozens of emerging Palestinian artists to the fore in an urgent cry for humanity from a people under siege.

Each film, ranging in length from 3 to 6 minutes, presents a unique perspective on the current reality in Gaza. The project, masterminded by legendary Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi and Exec Produced by Michael Moore, captures the diverse experiences of life in the Palestinian enclave, including the challenges, tragedies and moments of resilience faced by its people. Using a mix of genres including fiction, documentary, docu-fiction, animation and experimental cinema, From Ground Zero presents a rich diversity of stories that reflect the sorrow, joy and hope inherent in Gazan life.

These are only a snapshot of the stories shared. Chronicling the lives of people too often discussed in reference to numbers and refugee camps, From Ground Zero is an extraordinary time capsule, an urgent response to an ongoing catastrophe, and an artist’s call to bear witness to a crime scene. It is a reminder that despite sustained efforts to silence them – the film stricken from the 2024 Cannes lineup on political grounds after initially being accepted – the voice of the Palestinian people is louder than ever through art and film.