0, ∞ (Zero, Infinity) is the kind of short that feels both scary and poignant. There’s a certain suspension of disbelief that goes into any story that borders on sci-fi, that takes us deep into a dystopian world. And yet, is this really as dystopian as it should be? Is the idea of the government, whichever government, deciding not just who you are but who you should be with something that feels like fantasy?
The answer is, sadly, no. And that’s perhaps what makes Zero, Infinity both so absurd and so emotional.
With very few words, Marc Sudac manages to take us on a journey that is both satire and rebellion. In the face of a world that wants to dictate your life, the only real response is to continue to assert your truth, over and over again. In this, we see Gus and Clark forced to jump through a series of hoops set by a world that wants to put them in boxes. If you want to apply for a mortgage (or get a SSN number, or pretty much do anything), you have to undergo a medical procedure designed to “verify” your sexuality.
The less said about how they verify your sexuality, the better. The absurdity is the point here. And yet in this world, the decision is out of your hands. Or at least, it is if you want to live within the confines of what society deems acceptable.
Brandon Wilson and Cheech Manohar ground the short with tender, understated performances that make you root for them, even as the system tries to chew them and spit them back out. Their performances, and their easy chemistry, make the short feel like a real tragedy, and at the same time a beautiful choice, instead of just a collection of scenes that lead to a message.
If shorts are already a complicated subject, sci-fi dystopian shorts feel like an even bigger undertaking, because explaining the rules of a world in such a short time, while making us not just understand the characters, but feel for them, is a very tall order. Zero, Infinity doesn’t just succeed; it leaves you thinking about what choice you would make if you were stuck in this world where you have to fight to be who you are.
Or, perhaps, it makes you realize that, in many ways, this isn’t a dystopia. We all live in this world to some extent. And that means that, like Gus and Clark, we all have a decision to make.
0, ∞ (Zero, Infinity) screened at the Hollyshorts Film Festival.
