Nicola Conversa
Mezzanotte zero zero

LA RECENSIONE

"The time flows slowly with an impressive speed"

This is one of the phrases quoted in Midnight Zero Zero, a short film nominated for the David di Donatello in 2018 directed by Taranto-based director Nicola Conversa, already founder of "Nirkiop".

In this quarter-hour short, we are told the story of Francesco (Andrea Pisani), a 26-year-old single and unemployed man, who glimpses in Aurora (Marilù Pipitone) the woman of his life, but she ignores him.
Francesco's life seems to pass monotonously, but a turning point seems to arrive during his twenty-seventh birthday, when he is reminded to blow out the candle on the cake so that one of his wishes can come true. Although initially, he does not believe it will be granted, he witnesses some disturbing coincidences and becomes convinced that each year he can make a wish come true by blowing out a candle.
Years go by, the world around Francesco changes, but he seems not to notice. He continues to hang out with his lifelong friends, Anna (Anna Madaro), Piero (Pierluigi Madaro), and Mirko (Mirko Mastrocinque), and he keeps making the same wish, fully aware that it will never come true.

Conversa, besides showing us a small representation of his Taranto, reminds us how often we delude ourselves into thinking we can change the world, but no matter how much we act, we must necessarily keep our feet on the ground, all this in a short narrated by an excellent Maurizio Merluzzo, whose ending, if I must be honest, nearly brought a lump to my throat.
5 stars