Naseer Shamma

"From Ground Zero" is a compelling project that brings together 22 short films created by talented filmmakers from Gaza. Launched by Rashid Masharawi, a notable Palestinian filmmaker, the initiative emerged amid the backdrop of conflict, aiming to provide a platform for young artists to express themselves through their craft. Each film, ranging from 3 to 7 minutes, presents a unique perspective on the current reality in Gaza. The project captures the diverse experiences of life in the Palestinian enclave, including the challenges, tragedies, and moments of resilience faced by its people. With a mix of genres such as fiction, documentary, docu-fiction, animation, and experimental cinema, "From Ground Zero" showcases a rich tapestry of stories that reflect the sorrow, joy, and hope inherent in Gazan life.

Three well-educated North African women cope with sexual stereotyping in modern Tunisia. Amina a married Muslim woman living in Tunis with her two daughters. Even though she is allowed certain freedoms as a Muslim woman this is curtailed when she meets her old friend from school Aida.

Jonathan Demme helms this musical documentary that shines a light on the eclectic sounds of songwriter-musician Enzo Avitabile.

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In pre-revolution Iraq, in one of its border cities, Jasim is being persecuted by the authorities, and his family is also displaced, while everyone is waiting for a revolution to end their oppression.

Amidst the turmoil of the 1991 war, parents faced a harrowing choice: to protect their loved ones from bombs and missiles, they sought refuge in shelters. In Baghdad's Amiriyah shelter, 450 souls found solace, but tragedy struck at dawn when two US missiles, guided by precision, ravaged the sanctuary, leaving devastation in their wake. Desperate families waited outside, their hopes dashed as the reality of war's cruelty unfolded, leaving behind a dawn tainted with sorrow.

After a lifetime of conflict in Iraq, 20-year-old Tiba joins the October 2019 protests. She is amazed to see so many young men and women gathering from across the nation. Regardless of class and religion, the youth stand side by side in a fight to reclaim their country. Tiba forms new friendships, ideas and dreams. When the peaceful protests are met with violence, she becomes a medic tending to the wounded. But she could never have imagined the heartache one fatality brings.

In the heart of Gaza, Farah clings to her colours and Zahra to her songs, while the girls' dreams become an act of resistance in the face of a war that steals lives, homes and hopes. Dreams of Farah and Zahra is a documentary that blends art, heritage and history. Dreams of Farah and Zahra, directed by Mostafa Al-Nabeeh, is a short film that is part of the From Ground Zero + project, initiated by Rashid Masharawi, which presents a series of varied portraits of life in Gaza.

Naseer Shamma invites the audience to the heart of Berlin, in the Pierre Boulez Auditorium. In this setting where arts and cultures meet, the Iraqi musician and his ensemble offer a musical journey in the footsteps of the oud, one of the oldest string instruments in the world.