DC Shorts - Zero m2 (Zero Square Meters)
Set in Paris, ZERO M2 follows a young student coming to grips with the architectural intricacies of a rather odd apartment building.
Interview with Writer/Director Matthieu Landour
Watch Zero m2 (Zero Square Meters) here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks a lot! I made Zerom2 because it felt fun and important to tell this story. To me, making a film is always a mix of a need and a desire.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I hope people will enjoy it first! Short films are awesome because you can tell a story in a less conventional way, and I hope Zerom2 is less conventional enough.
I wanted to talk about the flat situation in most big cities, and also how a young person learns to stand up for himself. It's a difficult learn, and it's part of the process of growing up.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I lived for years in very small flats, both in Paris and then in London. I tried to make the best use of those small spaces, compressing all my stuff, placing boxes higher and higher until it reached the ceiling. Basically getting used to it. And I always wondered at which point I would go crazy about it and what I should do before I went crazy.
That was the starting point of Zerom2, a rather personal one, yet I think we've all been living in strange, weird, and too small flats; and we all had at one point an odd neighbour we can't quite understand. Maybe he's been living there longer than us, he got used to the situation in a different way than us.
So I tackled Zerom2 with the extreme idea of a building with flats conceived to get smaller and smaller each day, most people are unaware of it, most are going crazy in their own quirky ways. And what can you do about it?
It's a fable about the living situation, and we can all relate to it. And it's also a comedy, because I love picking the absurd in every subject matter.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Originally, as I was living in London at the time, I wrote the script in English and set it in London. Even if I'm french, I love starting scripts in English, as it forces me immediately to get out of my comfort zone (in this case, the french language!).
Soon I realised that the story felt better in French, not because it couldn't happen elsewhere (I believe it could in most cities) yet the visuals would be more interesting with a city like Paris, which blends the old and the almost modern (the 80's modern to be exact).
Before production started, some of the dialogue was modified as well, as we rehearsed with the actors who each brought something more to their characters, little quirks or lines. Actors always bring so much more to the table, I'm always amazed by it.
There was also a point where the main character visited flats before he found the one, so there were more scenes outside the building. Yet we realised it would make the movie too absurd from the start and might reduce the surprise of the main flat getting smaller. So we replaced it by a sequence with the main character talking on the phone with flat agents, all absurd. It was funnier, lighter and enabled us to create a crazy weird setting of hundreds and hundreds of flat ads around the character, as if he was from the start surrounded, circled.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Good so far! The movie has done a whole round of festivals all around the world and we won very cool awards!
The funniest thing about the film is that, from preproduction to festivals, there are always people coming to me and telling me about their own stories of weird flats or odd neighbours! That means a lot to me, because it makes me feel that people related to the story and themes.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The way the people react to some humorous scenes always surprises me. Depending on which country you screen the film, some will laugh at some bits, other at completely different bits. It happens on all the films I have done before, and I can never anticipate it, I doubt I ever will be able to.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com ?
What matters to me most is that the movie can be seen and discussed, so I hope that having it visible on your website (really cool by the way!) will help.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We have had such a great ride in festivals already thanks to the many efforts of the team, producers and distributor (many thanks to Salaud Morrisset by the way, you rock!).
I would say journalists, reviewers, come on board! Watch the film, let us know what you thought about it, talk about it, whether you liked it or not, any opinion is important to us!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
The world can feel oppressing in many different ways, like a very small flat and a money thirsty landlord, for example.
But facing your problem and finding people to face it with can be a solution.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How small your space can be?
Would you like to add anything else?
Every occasion I have to thank the people who participated on the film, I take it!
I have worked with an amazing and dedicated team, on every level, I feel I have been the luckiest man on earth.
Working with a team is always exciting as everyone brings more on a film, pushes ideas, suggests new ones, and offers you some of their time and energy. This time even more, it's been crazy how much they gave, how much they brought to the film.
I can't wait to work with all of them again!
What are you developing or working on next?
I am developing a series of new exciting projects.
Next year I am releasing a an 2d animated short film that I am co-directing with the brilliant Bali Engel. It is called Shock Therapy, and it will tackle the subject of phobias in a very cool and funny way!
I am also developing a series of short films and I am now finishing the script of my feature debut. I can't wait to get into the feature world, no doubt it will be an exciting challenge!
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Zero m2 (Zero Square Meters)
Set in Paris, ZERO M2 follows a young student coming to grips with the architectural intricacies of a rather odd apartment building.
Length:
16min
Director:
Matthieu Landour
Producer:
Pierre Emmanuel Fleurantin
Laurent Baujard
Writer:
Nicolas Bovorasmy and Matthieu Landour
About the writer, director and producer:
Matthieu Landour started his career in animation and now works with every medium, live action, animation, puppets. With each project he aims to push a rich and detailed world, with a touch of absurd.
Key cast:
Anthony Sonigo, Silvie Laguna, Clémence Ansault, Majid Berhila, Rudy Mayoute, Julien Girbig, Antoine Nembrini, Adeline Moreau, Elea Clair
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Journalists, film festival directors
Funders:
City of Paris
Made in association with:
Paprika Films
Release date:
2015
Where can I watch it in the next month?
At the DC Short FiIm Festival this week!
Or drop us a message on Zerom2 facebook page!
Or contact our distributor Salaud Morrisset!