Esistenza Zero

Esistenza Zero follows Maya (Silvia Fasoli), a cyborg in a near future dominated by digital corporations. Maya offers alternative identities in the virtual afterlife, and when she breaks the rules by granting her clients freedom, she becomes a threat and is hunted down. On the run, she searches for her lost daughter through artificial worlds and rebel communities, ruled by control. The piece is a low-budget indie feature that blends the raw essence of Italian neorealism with speculative science fiction.

The piece wears its influences on its sleeve, presenting an engaging dystopian narrative, heavily inspired by titles such as Strange Days (1995) and The Matrix (1999), with a cyberpunk aesthetic. It moves at a brisk pace, with a suitable runtime to delve into its intriguing, dense world-building. Despite the narrative being fairly simple, it's anchored by its nuanced themes and mix of Italian neorealism with sci-fi elements. The piece isn't the most original with its cyberpunk sub-genre; however, many of the technical elements and the central performance give it a breath of fresh air despite its lack of originality.

One of the most surprising elements of the piece is how much the filmmakers accomplish with their evident budget constraints. Although its modest budget occasionally shows, the film does an impressive job of creating a bleak, dystopian world through strong visual effects and production design, making the most of its limited resources. Catia Demonte, serving as the film's cinematographer, does an incredible job of framing each scene with a mix of medium wide shots and close-ups during more intimate character moments. The shift to handheld camerawork during moments of conflict is particularly effective, creating a visceral sense of tension throughout the third act. This is accompanied by Lorenzo Sutton’s pulse-pounding musical score, with its synth-wave motifs, which fits the film tonally and thematically, with its futuristic setting.

Despite how convoluted the narrative can feel at times, the film still manages to convey its themes eloquently with its reflections of the world of cyberpunk. Its use of animation at times to convey the cyberpunk aesthetic can, however, feel out of place and jarring with the film's visual style. While this may stem from the film's budgetary limitations, its overall visual style remains highly commendable, particularly in what it achieves through in-camera techniques.

Silvia Fasoli's portrayal of Maya is terrific; it's an incredibly nuanced portrayal of a cyborg that feels raw and grounded despite its robotic nature. Silvia Fasoli conveys the character’s anxiety with enough depth to keep the narrative engaging throughout. Sadly, the supporting characters are largely underdeveloped and suffer from stilted performances and minimal screen time.

Thankfully, the film remains engaging throughout, building to a gripping third act as the tension steadily mounts. While the film's final stretch becomes overly convoluted, it still delivers a satisfying conclusion, culminating in an emotionally resonant climax that leaves the audience wanting more.

Esistenza Zero is a remarkable achievement in low-budget filmmaking, boasting some wonderfully staged set pieces. While it may borrow heavily from cyberpunk media such as Strange Days (1995) and The Matrix (1999), it's a worthwhile effort with a great central performance by Silvia Fasoli and an unforgettable musical score.