The Mini-Documentary ‘Soft Skin’ Profiles Palestinian Children Creating Animated Films

Soft Skin is a deeply emotional and powerful animated documentary that follows Palestinian children as they create their own animation films, forming part of the compilation feature film From Ground Zero.

This selection differs from what we’ve featured before, but its urgency and significance are undeniable. The documentary takes viewers inside Palestinian tents where children are taught cut-out animation — not merely as a distraction from the relentless brutality surrounding them but as a vital means of processing and expressing their experiences through storytelling. For many, these workshops serve as a form of art therapy, offering a creative outlet for their trauma, especially those who have recently lost their families.

Soft Skin is one of 22 short films in From Ground Zero, a project initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi to shed light on the untold human stories of the ongoing war in Gaza.

Khamis Masharawi, a seasoned set designer, has worked on numerous films and serves as both a set designer and a children’s animation trainer. He is one of the founders of the Fekra Foundation in Gaza, which helps children engage with the film industry as a form of art therapy.