Zero

Synopsis

Born into a world of numbers, an oppressed zero discovers that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

What a fine technical effort! The animation was polished, perfectly supporting a smart, dark story with a nice surprise ending. The music and narration and sound design were great as well. “Zero” kept me thoroughly entertained from beginning to end.
—Matt Groening

Zero is a beautiful stop motion short film. 
Off-kilter and a bit creepy, their creation is ultimately heartwarming.
—Huffpost

What do you get when you combine 15kgs of silicon, 2km of wool, 46 highly enthusiastic filmmakers and 2 years of hard work? Zero.

Zero is a 12’32 stop motion animation by Australian husband and wife filmmaking duo, Christopher and Christine Kezelos. This dark fairytale takes place in a world where the inhabitants are born into a numerical class system. Faced with constant prejudice and persecution an oppressed zero walks a lonely path until a chance encounter changes his life forever: he meets a female zero. Together they prove that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

Zero employs innocently cute characterization that directly contrasts the dark themes of racism and intolerance that underlies the story. It shows how love and the ability to see beauty in the darkest of places allows us to transcend our loneliness and despair and find an authentic connection to our world.

Narrated by international voice-over veteran Nicholas McKay, the crew comprised of multi-award-winning filmmakers including director Christopher Kezelos and producer Christine Kezelos, director of photography Matthew Horrex and composer Kyls Burtland.

“I’m truly excited to have worked on a project that seeks to present the issues of racism, bigotry, and judgment in the highly digestible medium of animation”, said Christopher Kezelos. “These themes are unfortunately prevalent and all too common in our society. We all need a little reminder that there’s so much beauty and love on our planet if we open our eyes to it.”

Christine Kezelos also feels passionate about the film’s positive message. “Everyone at some time in their life has felt isolated and disenfranchised from their peer group or own kind in some way. I think audiences will be able to identify with Zero’s need to find his place”.

Zero has screened at major international film festivals and has won the award for ‘Best Animation’ from LA Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island International Film Festival, been the recipient of two awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society and received ‘Best Achievement in Sound’ from the Flickerfest International Film Festival. It has also recently been nominated for an AFI Award in the ‘Best Short Animation’ category.

The film was funded by Screen NSW in an initiative to provide career opportunities for emerging filmmakers in Australia.

For interviews or further information, please contact Zealous Creative.

Download Zero Images

Zero received 15 international film festival awards.

• 2009 Australian Cinematographers Society: Gold Award – Experimental and Specialised category (NSW/ACT)
• 2010 Australian Cinematographers Society: Golden Tripod – Experimental and Specialised category (National)
• 2010 LA Shorts Fest: Best Animation
• 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival: First Place – Best Animation
• 2010 Grand OFF – World Independent Film Awards: Best Animation
• 2010 ATOM Awards: Best Short Animation
• 2010 Naples International Film Festival: Best Short Film
• 2010 Flickerfest International Film Festival: Best Achievement in Sound
• 2010 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Script
• 2010 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Design
• 2011 Shorts Film Festival: Bronze Award
• 2011 Lady Filmmakers Film Festival: Ladies Kick Butt
• 2011 Sandfly Film Festival: Best Animation
• 2011 Sandfly Film Festival: Best Australia Short
• 2011 Sandfly Film Festival: Best at Sandfly

Nominations

• 2010 AFI Awards: Nominated for Best Short Animation
• 2010 Inside Film Awards: Nominated for Best Short Animation
• 2010 APRA Screen Music Awards: Nominated for Best Music in a Short Film
• 2010 Australian Screen Sound Awards: Nominated for Best Sound in a Short Film