Three Palestinian films achieve historic Oscar shortlisting
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Competing for the Best International Film award is From Ground Zero, an anthology of 22 short films co-produced by Metafora Production, part of Fadaat Media Group.
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Screengrab of 'From Ground Zero' the first trailer. (Youtube)
Three Palestinian films have made it to the 2025 Oscars shortlist, marking a significant moment for Palestinian cinema as Gaza and the West Bank endure a devastating humanitarian crisis.
These films highlight stories of resilience, struggle, and survival under the weight of conflict and occupation.
Competing for the Best International Film award is From Ground Zero, an anthology of 22 short films co-produced by Metafora Production, part of Fadaat Media Group.
Curated by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, the collection portrays the daily lives of Gazans under siege through a mix of animation, documentaries, and fiction.
The film premiered at the Amman International Film Festival and won awards at the Cairo Film Festival after debuting in North America at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Despite being invited to Cannes, its screening was controversially canceled due to political reasons. In response, Masharawi set up a tent near the festival venue to showcase the film independently.
Palestinian triumphs
In the Best Documentary category, No Other Land tells the story of Palestinian journalist Basel Adra's efforts to protect his West Bank village from Israeli settlers.
Co-directed by Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, the documentary has earned international acclaim and awards since its debut earlier this year.
Another Palestinian achievement comes from An Orange from Jaffa, a live-action short film by Gaza-born director Mohammed al-Mughanni.
The film follows a young Palestinian's struggle to cross an Israeli checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, capturing the challenges of everyday life under occupation.
Read more: Gaza ceasefire takes center stage at 2024 Oscars
The recognition of these films comes at a time when Gaza is reeling from "Israel's" genocidal campaign, which has claimed over 45,000 lives since October 2023.
The situation has led to widespread accusations of genocide and an international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes.
The final nominations will be revealed on January 17, 2025, with the Oscars ceremony set for March 2.
