A powerful, Palestine-led film educated and enlightened a Kelowna audience on Friday, April 11.

From Ground Zero-Stories of Gaza was shown to more than 100 audience members at the Metro Community Hub. The screening was thanks to Amnesty International Okanagan, Canadian Justice for Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) Okanagan, Central Okanagan United Church and the Okanagan College Faculty Association乌鸦传媒檚 Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee.

The film featured 22 short vignettes three-to-six minutes in length that depicted the lives of Palestinians in Gaza.

All equally powerful, each picture showcased children, adults, professors, students all attempting to live life in a sense of normalcy, set across the backdrop of the Israel-Gaza conflict. The vast filmmaking style was also on display, with animations, documentary and classical storytelling techniques all explored. 

One specific film, entitled The Teacher, was about the daily life of a University professor attempting to secure his basic needs. Queues for bread, water, showering and even power for his cell phone were all interminable, forcing the teacher to come back empty-handed. 

After the film, a Q and A session with producer Rashid Mashawari was held, where those in attendance learned more about the complicated process of filming inside a war zone. 

"This was an experience and all the filmmakers are in Gaza even after the 552 days after what we thought was a ceasefire," said Mashawari. "I am trying to make it possible to share the stories."

Mashawari stressed that without the 22 filmmakers, "this would not be possible, because some people risked their lives to do the project."

From Ground Zero was shortlisted as the Palestinian entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Film category, which was the first time ever for a Palestinian film. 

"People in Gaza are alone and feel alone, but cinema can help people feel not so alone because of what we are doing right now," Mashawari added. "If life gives you reason to lose hope, cinema can give you 1,000 reasons to give hope."

More information on the film can be found at . To learn more about what the CJPME is doing, visit .