The Big Picture
Club Zero is a dark comedy that explores the consequences of extreme mindful consumption and responsible consumerism. The film follows Miss Novak, a teacher who leads a class on conscious eating, but her methods become increasingly disordered and extreme. The movie addresses themes of eating disorders, consumerism, and the effects of extreme opinions, wrapped up in a black comedy plot.
While mindful consumption and responsible consumerism are great concepts in theory, what happens when they get out of hand? Jessica Hausner‘s latest dark comedy Club Zero starring Mia Wasikowska will elaborate on the themes. The feature made its world premiere in competition at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and is now heading to New York City’s IFC Center in March. To mark the occasion, a new trailer has been unveiled.
The trailer introduces us to a group of students who are part of Miss Novak’s (Wasikowska) class of ‘conscious eating,’ while their reasons for joining the class vary from protecting the environment to getting extra credit, the students go on an extreme diet plan under their instructor’s tutelage. However, things change when parents start to get concerned about their kids and the headmistress gets suspicious of Miss Novak’s ways. The trailer gives us a taste of the thrilling plot as well as the aesthetically pleasing cinematography.
What Is ‘Club Zero’ About?
Image via Film Movement
Set in the backdrop of a boarding school, the movie follows Miss Novak, who joins the teaching staff to instruct a new class on ‘conscious eating.’ While her early lectures focus on mindful consumption and reducing carbon footprints, the instructor’s discussions soon take a turn to be increasingly disordered and extreme. As students fall deep into her cult-like tutelage and are given a goal to join her coveted Club Zero, parents and staff at the school start getting suspicious about her motivation for teaching the class.
The feature looks quite promising with amazing performances under Hausner’s vision. The movie addresses the themes of nutrition, consumerism, and the effects of extreme opinions wrapped up neatly in a black comedy plot. What Miss Novak’s actual intentions are will be known when the feature comes out. Hausner directs from a script she co-wrote with Géraldine Bajard.
Along with Wasikowska as Miss Novak, the movie also casts Sidse Babett Knudsen as Miss Dorset, Luke Barker as Fred, Ksenia Devriendt as Elsa, Florence Baker as Ragna, Samuel D. Anderson as Ben, Gwen Currant as Helen, Andrei Hozoc as Corbinian, Sade McNichols-Thomas as Joan. Also rounding off the cast are Elsa Zylberstein, Mathieu Demy, Amir El-Masry, Amanda Lawrence, Sam Hoare, Keeley Forsyth, Lukas Turtur, Camilla Rutherford, and Laoisha O’Callaghan.
Club Zero will premiere at NYC’s IFC Center on March 15, followed by a March 22 premiere at Los Angeles’ Laemmle Royal. The film will have a wider release in Atlanta, San Diego, Cleveland, and additional markets at a yet-to-be-announced date. You can check out the new trailer below: