ZÉZERO (1974)

 

“Zézero,” directed by Ozualdo Candeias, is a bold, provocative, and subversive work that stands as one of the most striking examples of Brazil’s “Cinema Marginal.”

The film tells a bitterly critical story about society and economic exploitation through the dilemma of Zézero, a poor farmer who, seduced by the promise of a better life, leaves the countryside behind in search of wealth in the big city. With this simple yet deeply symbolic plot, Candeias exposes the harsh reality of a system that feeds illusions of prosperity while keeping the masses trapped in an endless cycle of exploitation.

What makes the film so powerful is the way it breaks away from the cinematic conventions of its time. Instead of following a linear and traditional narrative, Candeias embraces a freer, more experimental language, one of the hallmarks of “Cinema Marginal.” With a raw aesthetic and refined technical choices, the director heightens the sense of alienation and disillusionment felt by the characters, especially the protagonist. Even the name “Zézero”, a fusion of “Zé” (an everyman name, like “Joe”) and “zero”, signals the lack of individuality and the insignificance of the common man within the machinery of an unequal society. Zézero becomes the embodiment of countless workers who long for something better but are constantly crushed by reality.

Casting Carlos Biondi as Zézero was a brilliant choice. His performance perfectly conveys the character’s anguish, despair, and fragile dreams. Zézero, influenced by a fairy who shows him the glories of city life through newspapers and magazines, begins to believe that the city offers endless opportunities. But as his journey unfolds, he is confronted with a cruel reality, one in which the ruling class manipulates the masses and where dreams of easy wealth turn into traps. By portraying this relentless pursuit of a better life, the film forces viewers to confront the brutal truth of a society that, through propaganda and consumerism, fuels fantasies while keeping the poor and marginalized at the bottom of the social pyramid.

The film’s editing is another crucial element in building its subversive tone. With rapid cuts and a fragmented style, Zézero creates a sense of disorientation, as if the protagonist were lost in both time and space. The cinematography further emphasizes the contrast between the simplicity of rural life and the chaotic complexity of the city. Meanwhile, the soundtrack, made up mostly of environmental sounds and radio broadcasts, plays an essential role in shaping the film’s atmosphere. When the radio, a symbol of the dream of wealth, suddenly transmits the howls of wolves and coyotes, the metaphor becomes clear: the powerful in the city are predators, while peasants and the poor, like Zézero, are their prey. This contrast underlines the film’s central message: social and economic oppression keeps the most vulnerable locked in an endless cycle of exploitation.

The film also delivers a subtle critique of those who fall for illusions of sudden wealth, such as the sports lottery, which appears repeatedly throughout the story. The fairy, by showing Zézero the glamorous lives of the rich and powerful in glossy magazines, feeds him an idealized view of reality that he will almost certainly never reach. This detail resonates strongly today, as many people, just like Zézero, sink into debt while chasing fantasies of easy success, whether through gambling or online betting. For this reason, Zézero remains strikingly relevant: it tackles enduring issues of alienation, exploitation, and the devastating impact of wealth-driven illusions on people’s lives.

The supporting cast also plays a key role in shaping Zézero’s world. Milton Pereira, Izabel Antinópolis, Arnaldo Galvão, Maria das Dores de Oliveira, Maria Gizélia, Maria Nina Ferraz, and Pamira Balbina de Almeida contribute with smaller but essential roles that help to build the atmosphere of exploitation and false promises surrounding the protagonist. Their presence underscores the idea that Zézero’s struggle is not unique, he represents an entire class systematically subjected to oppression.

In the end, Zézero is much more than the story of a farmer chasing dreams of wealth in the city. It is a sharp piece of social and political critique, unmasking the contradictions of capitalist society, which promises prosperity but instead locks people into cycles of exploitation and frustration. By questioning the endless pursuit of “having” at the expense of “being,” Candeias creates a work that serves as a warning: a reminder of the dangers of living in a society that values materialism and alienation above all else.