“Starting from Zero” documents the journey of three refugees caught in the crosshairs following the U.S. military’s sudden withdrawal from Afghanistan. Fleeing for their lives, they are transported to Qatar and stationed in the most paradoxical of refugee camps — a luxury compound built for guests of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. 

The three protagonists, a female boxer, a journalist, and a TV personality find themselves suddenly uprooted from their lives, separated from their homeland and family, and stuck in bureaucratic limbo until they can get settled elsewhere. Seema is everything the Taliban despise: a young woman pursuing a male-dominated sport; only 18, she bears the responsibility of rescuing her family from Kabul, and longs to make it to the US where she can openly pursue her boxing dream. Ahmad, a successful journalist who worked closely with the US military, is now on a “most wanted” list and powerless to decide his fate elsewhere. Khalid, a charismatic television anchor with a career on the rise and a heart on his sleeve, is transported to frigid upstate New York and reduced to working the late night shift at a fast food chain. 

The film follows the three refugees in the camp and on their eventual journey to Buffalo, NY, Seattle, WA, and Berlin, Germany, where they must restart their lives and confront the deferment of their dreams.