Rashid Masharawi

Rashid Masharawi is a self-taught filmmaker born and raised in Shati refugee camp, in Gaza. He is one of the first Palestinian directors who had filmed in Palestine. All his films since his first feature Curfew (1990) and then Haifa (1996) - which was the first Palestinian movie officially selected in Cannes - receive regular international selections, awards and broadcasting. Masharawi’s films reflect with irony the daily Palestinian life and are studied in many universities. In 1996, he founded the Cinema Production and Distribution Center (Ramallah) to develop a Palestinian cinematographic reflection (workshop, professional training, kids festival and mobile cinema). Many Palestinian filmmakers who have an international career, have attended this institution. even during Corona’s lockdowns when he filmed his neighbours in “Diary of Gabrielle Street”. “Passing Dreams” is the latest film he directed Masharawi still pursues this goal by training new generations of directors. He has been supporting filmmakers in Gaza, by establishing the Masharawi Film Fund and producing “From Ground Zero”, which was followed more recently by “From Ground Zero +”.