“Citizen Osama”, interview with artistic supervisor Rashid Masharawi and producer Laura Nikolov

Presented at Venice Film Festival 2026, Citizen Osama by Ahmed Hassouna presents an intimate and deeply political portrait of Gaza. Artistic supervisor Rashid Masharawi and producer Laura Nikolov continue the commitment behind the From Ground Zero initiative.

Created during the war, the project brought together 22 short films made by filmmakers in Gaza. The films travelled to more than 300 international festivals and were shortlisted for the Academy Awards. For Masharawi, this is also a personal responsibility. Born and raised in Gaza, he lost both his home and his family home during the war. As a filmmaker, he wants to protect Gaza’s narrative and share its stories with international audiences: “I want to protect the narrative, I want to keep the image, I want to share all our stories through cinema.”

A Production Under Extraordinary Conditions

The production of Citizen Osama took place amid danger, power cuts and unstable internet connections. Laura Nikolov explains that the places where people could find electricity and internet access were often among the most dangerous locations. The team sometimes waited through the night for communication to return, hoping to confirm that their collaborators were safe.

Footage was transferred through different systems, as no single method remained reliable throughout the war. The post-production team worked from France, reviewing and discussing the material remotely whenever the connection allowed. The entire production required constant adaptation, patience and trust.

Turning a Number into a Human Being

At the centre of Citizen Osama is Osama, a father trying to care for his family while living through displacement and danger. The film moves beyond statistics to focus on his face, his family and his daily concerns. Osama needs milk for his baby, thinks about celebrating a birthday, and tries to find flour, eggs and other ingredients for a cake. These ordinary needs become extremely difficult to fulfil in Gaza. The film’s strength lies in its attention to these small details. Osama is not presented merely as a victim, but as a father trying to preserve a sense of normality.

The Intimacy of Everyday Life

One of the most powerful aspects of Citizen Osama is its balance between devastation and tenderness. Osama’s family has been forced to move 13 times in less than a year. Yet the film also includes moments of affection and humour. The father tries to keep his baby safe at home, even while joking about the impossibility of finding protection when danger can reach every room.

These moments make the story even more human. They show how people continue to love, care and live despite unbearable circumstances. For Nikolov, the film is also about connecting audiences with people whose daily lives might otherwise remain distant. Going to the shop, buying flour or preparing a cake are familiar actions. In Citizen Osama, they become acts of resistance and survival.

Cinema as Connection

Through Citizen Osama, Rashid Masharawi and Laura Nikolov use cinema to give a face to a reality often described only through numbers. Masharawi’s work in Gaza also includes a children’s film festival and the creation of a film school. These initiatives reflect his belief in cinema as a way to preserve memory and support future generations.a

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