Twenty-four narrative lines (about jealousy, being unfaithful, revenge, despair and fate) cross each other in twenty-four hours, with the camera repeatedly jumping from character to character, in the street, in a bus or cafe. And so the story flows on, to a slow rock soundtrack.
The zero in the title refers to the circle of the clock. The clock is the circle of solidarity that all the very diverse characters share in this film that is set in twenty-four hours. In an unusual narrative form, the Polish director Pawel Borowski keeps following one character until, through choice or chance, he encounters another character - at home, in the street, in a bus or bar. In this way the film jumps from character to character, with the same people returning several times in storylines about jealousy, being unfaithful, revenge, despair and fate. The characters represent a cross-section of the population, rich and poor, young and old, man and woman, honest and corrupt. Some turn out to be more closely related than is clear at first sight, others influence each other's lives without realising it. In this way the story flows on, a feeling that is amplified by the slow-rock soundtrack.
PROGRAMMER NOTES
2009 was a good year for debut directors in Poland and many of their films were shown at the National Film Festival in Gdynia. Zero is one of them and even if it has not always been to the taste of film critics at home, Pawel Borowski is undoubtedly a fresh young voice. This multiple character film is reminiscent of many masterpieces by Robert Altman and this unnecessary comparison was just too hard for this first-time director. Nevertheless, the very professionally made film is a strong debut and, when compared to others, it is original in its reflection on contemporary life. Once you get into the stories of the various characters, you'll get into the flow of their lives and then this daring film won’t let you go.
LC