The Italian TV series inspired by Antonio Dikele Distefano's novel will be available on Netflix from April 21. Here are the main themes.
On April 21 will be released the new Netflix Original production, the TV series titled Zero. Consisting of 8 episodes, it is written by Antonio Dikele Distefano, who is also the author of the novel from which it is inspired "Non ho mai avuto la mia età ". Among the authors there are also Menotti, Stefano Voltaggio, Carolina Cavalli, Massimo Vavassori and Lisandro Monaco.
The TV series is an intense photograph of the Milanese suburbs and sees as protagonists a group of black Italian boys. Omar is the protagonist and goes by the nickname Zero: he is shy and reserved, works in a pizzeria in the neighborhood and has a passion for comics. In fact, he draws manga with black boys as protagonists. Zero is a very special boy, and not only for his good and peaceful nature, but also because he discovers he has an important superpower that he will use to save his community. Between rivalries and friendships, the TV series will also talk about an intense and sudden love story, which will forever change the boy's destiny.
Zero, the boys unite to save their home
It is often said that boys lack ideals, values and ambitions. This TV series seems to be born to dismantle that prejudice. Right from the start, the protagonists are them, a group of young people, who are committed to saving their home. Adults take a back seat, and often interact or do not understand their children, so determined to save what is their neighborhood, a place to defend at the cost of their lives.
The narrative develops around the group of friends who live in the Barrio, a neighborhood of the Milanese suburbs. Giuseppe Dave Seke is the main character Omar. He feels invisible in a world that runs and does not notice his existence. He feels like a zero, and this becomes his nickname. In order to escape from a reality that oppresses him, he draws comic strips. He dreams of escaping from that neighborhood, but one day he meets a group of boys and finally understands the value of friendship. They are Sharif (Haroun Fall), Momo (Richard Dylan Magon), Sara (Daniela Scattolin) and Inno (Madior Fall). The peculiarity of Zero is that the main actors are all black Italian boys belonging to the first and second generation.
Zero, between drama, science fiction and thriller story
The TV series Zero is very intense, well constructed thanks to a dynamic narrative, but which also leaves room for reflection and emotions. Several genres come together in Zero. First of all, it is a dramatic TV series, it talks about family issues, broken ties and rivalry. There is a clear division between the people of the Barrio and the rest of the world, the affluent and mostly white people who live in the uptown and often do not know what lies beyond their glossy reality.
Zero is the protagonist of the whole story, he feels invisible in the eyes of all. And this, which seems to be his weakness, turns into his strength, his "superpower". In fact, thanks to his invisibility he manages to save the neighborhood and not only. Science fiction thus becomes a useful stratagem to carry the entire narrative forward in an unexpected and intense way.
But in Zero we also find a good dose of thriller: there are mysteries regarding Zero's past that come to the surface and are waiting to be revealed. It remains for the viewer to fully immerse themselves within the story and connect the dots. Until the last second, it will be an interesting game of details, all to be analyzed.
Zero, opposites attract
As already mentioned, Zero is also about the opposition between the well-to-do Milan and the suburbs. But as often happens, opposites attract and often give birth to beautiful love stories. This also happens to Omar and Anna (Beatrice Grannò) a young girl who falls in love at first sight with Omar.
She is used to living in luxury and dreams of becoming an architect in Paris. Although it seems that there is no common ground between the two of them, we will actually discover that love will manage to show them a new part of the world. The romantic element, therefore, is there and plays a very strong role in the TV series.
Zero, the role of music
Dulcis in fundo, in the series has a crucial role rap music, which marks the time of a fast and intense narrative. Alongside various hits of the moment, both Italian and foreign, there are also original tracks by Mahmood and Marracash. Mahmood's track is the official musical theme of the series. The singer-songwriter, winner of the Sanremo Festival, is also the musical supervisor of the last episode. Marracash, on the other hand, sings his song 64 Barre di Paura, also written for the TV series.
In the background there are many images of Milan: panoramas, shots from above of the main areas of the city, breathtaking frames. In short, the TV series is really an excellent Italian product, finally shedding light on realities often forgotten or rather "invisible" in a captivating and true way.
The first season of Zero will be available on Netflix from April 21, 2021.