Club Zero

Little, Less, Zero. This darkly humorous satire about the susceptibility of young people to temptation was screened in the Cannes competition in 2023. A young teacher named Ms. Novak (Mia Wasikowska) arrives at an elite British boarding school. She teaches a course on mindful eating—and issues a bold slogan: “Abstinence!” This goes over well with the teenagers from wealthy families, because it’s about something important—or rather, “weighty”—and they all want to be “important” anyway. With this personalized dietary strategy, everything can be tackled: health, the climate, self-care, and, last but not least, capitalism itself. The students are quickly convinced that the less they consume, the greater their self-control—and the more sustainable their impact on the environment. Ms. Novak’s teachings not only appeal to her class’s intellect but also penetrate deep into their tender souls. Before long, a group of five finds itself caught up in the frenzy of fasting, which increasingly alarms their parents… Welcome to Club Zero! Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner is considered one of the few internationally successful German-speaking directors to have made a name for herself with impressive films such as “Lourdes,” “Hotel,” and “Little Joe.” With “Club Zero,” she has created an intelligent, unsettling drama about group dynamics, manipulation, and the influence of questionable ideologies on young people. In a deliberately sober and stylized production—typical of Hausner—the film shows how a teacher increasingly captivates her students with the idea of “conscious non-eating.” The subtly built atmosphere lingers long after the film ends and, despite the detached direction, prompts reflection on authority, abuse of power, social pressure, and the search for belonging.