"From Ground Zero": from Gaza to the Oscars
Saturday 3 May, 15:00-16:30, Malmö City Library Röda rummet
From Ground Zero is a collection of 22 short films made in Gaza. Initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, the project was born to give a voice to 22 Gazan filmmakers to tell the untold stories of the current genicide on film.
Directors
Aws Al-Banna, Ahmed Al-Danf, Basil Al-Maqousi, Mustafa Al-Nabih, Muhammad Alshareef, Ala Ayob, Bashar Al Balbisi, Alaa Damo, Awad Hana, Ahmad Hassunah, Mustafa Kallab, Satoum Kareem, Mahdi Karera, Rabab Khamees, Khamees Masharawi, Wissam Moussa, Tamer Najm, Abu Hasna Nidaa, Damo Nidal , Mahmoud Reema, Etimad Weshah, Islam Al Zrieai.
Producer: Rashid Masharawi
Rashid Masharawi is a self-taught filmmaker, born and raised in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. He is one of the first Palestinian directors to have filmed in the occupied territories. Since his first feature film Curfew (1990), followed by Haifa (1996)—the first Palestinian film officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival—his work has regularly been selected for international festivals, receiving numerous awards and international broadcasts.
With a touch of irony, his films portray the everyday realities of Palestinian life and are studied in universities around the world. In 1996, he founded the Cinema Production and Distribution Center to foster a Palestinian cinematic voice through workshops, training programs, children’s film festivals, and a mobile cinema initiative. Many Palestinian filmmakers with international careers began their journey through this institution. Masharawi continues to support and train new generations of filmmakers and remains creatively active. Even during the COVID-19 lockdowns, he filmed his neighbors in Diary of Gabrielle Street. He is currently in post-production for his new feature film Passing Dreams.
Co-producer
Laura Nikolov
Laura Nikolov is a French film producer dedicated to international auteur cinema and intercultural dialogue. After studying history and film in Paris, she worked in cultural institutions, including as director of an Alliance Française and as a film festival advisor. In 2019, she founded Coorigines Production in Rennes, focusing on films that highlight underrepresented global narratives through cross-border collaborations. The company expanded into distribution in 2025 to reach wider audiences with independent cinema.
Nikolov’s work emphasizes artistic integrity and long-term collaborations with filmmakers, particularly from Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, and Central Asia. Her filmography includes Aïsha Can Not Fly Away (2025, Un Certain Regard), Sprng Came Along Laughing (2024, Cairo IFF), Passing Dreams (2024, FESCAAL), and the Oscar-shortlisted From Ground Zero (2024). She also produced The Hill (2022, ACID selection) and several documentaries by Rashid Masharawi.
Upcoming projects include Le jardin des âmes perdues, Soyez Mongole (a France-Mongolia documentary), and Utopie en-chantée (a short documentary). Through Coorigines, she continues to champion bold, socially engaged cinema.