“Almost Zero” by Saam Gabbay
"Almost Zero" is a haunting, immersive journey through one person's aftermath of the Palisades fire—where loss, memory, and resilience blur in the raw stillness of what remains..
FROM THE DIRECTOR
“On January 17th, my friend Rana sent me a voice note. She had lost everything. As soon as I heard it, I thought, “Oh sh*#, I guess I’m making something with this.”
Her voice carried something raw—revelations that only surface through force majeure. I felt jolted. Without thinking, I called Stephanie, a violinist who understands my process. I asked her to bounce the bow against the strings, layering harmonics behind Rana’s voice. Something was taking shape.
Then came the sleepless nights. Waking at 4 AM, dragged from bed by an inaudible whisper, navigating road closures, authorities, wild rains— at the mercy of reality. I went up in a helicopter and simply told the pilot, “Palisades.” My usual faith-based approach, but drenched in hypervigilance.
The film grew from that foundation— Rana’s voice, the violins, the flight.
To accompany a friend to their ashen home for the first time is a disquieting privilege. One found only the dishes, perfectly preserved in the dishwasher, lifting them like a victorious child on a scavenger hunt. Numb, I stayed silent and kept rolling, my breath recorded through my respirator, wondering if I was of any use, if the film would resolve.
Then I understood. Watching my friends’ lives reduced to almost zero echoed my own family’s escape from Iran, where we left not just our home but our heritage.
This film carries that imprint.”
-Saam Gabbay
CREDITS
Director, Cinematographer, DP, & Composer// Saam Gabbay/ @saamgabbay
Violin// Stephanie Linehan/ @queenie_losangeles
Voice, Accountant & Spiritual Practitioner// Rana Wilson/ @consciousmoneyguide
Editors// Saam Gabbay + Arash Ayrom/ @ArashAyrom
Color Grading// Max Klunduk/ @colorist_mk
Sound Mix// Andy Baldwin/ @AndyBaldwin77
Mastering Engineer// Brian Lucey/ @magicgardenmastering
Featured
There’s a second man in the blue gown in the film// Keyvan Taheri
There’s a woman next to her burnt car with no mask// Hayley McCune
There are two sisters// Paula and Carla Carvajal
Send Us Your Film
Hey filmmakers! Have a project of your own you’d like us to check out?