Written and directed by leading actress Emanuela Galliussi, co-directed by Dean Matthew Ronalds, Zoe, an Italian woman, has all the things we’ve been told should make a person happy, but she isn’t. On Mardi Gras, a kid dressed up as a wizard grants her three chances to find what she yearns for but if she doesn’t, she will be stuck with him forever. Also starring: Michel Rodriguez Carmona, Jaspal Binning, Chanel Victor, Daniele Natali, Francesca Olivi, Jacopo Cullin, Cédric Ido, Adam James and Virgilio Mongelli.
It’s not often today that we get a lot of films that are silly, light-hearted comedies so it’s a refreshing change of pace to see Zoe taking things back to a simpler time of cinema. It’s not hampered by larger social issues or politics, it’s one woman trying to figure out her life while she stumbles through it. Stumbles may not be entirely the right word because Zoe (Emanuela Galliussi) is a tornado of a woman, she has an unstoppable and seemingly endless energy. She’s wild-eyed and unfiltered, ready to dive in without really knowing what she’s in for.
Emanuela Galliussi throws herself fully into this performance, there’s a genuine physicality to the way she Zoe because she’s rarely still. Put simply, Zoe is a hot mess in an entertaining way, Galliussi captures her flighty, unreliable nature but also the sincerity beneath, trying to fight its way through the chaos and booze. There’s an excellent ensemble cast behind her to join her misadventures and throw in obstacles. The choice to make the ‘wizard’ a child seems strange at first but it’s funny and Virgilio Mongelli gives an unexpectedly charming performance. Chanel Victor is another highlight, the chemistry between her and Galliussi is surprisingly strong and endearing.
There is the issue that the story feels flawed in not searching for love in her own life but being dropped into other Zoes in different countries, with different jobs, that she has no memory of. It presents a lot of questions about how she’s supposed to live a life she knows absolutely nothing about. Part of that does work to intentionally make things difficult for her but in the larger sense, it doesn’t feel like a strong choice but if you can look past that, there’s plenty to enjoy. For the most part it strikes the tone of a madcap comedy, which starts off well but it does slowly fizzle out as time passes and by the end, it feels like it has slightly forgotten its sense of fun.
The directorial style works in a similar way, it has that fervent nature, embracing the chaos of Zoe’s life. It matches her energy and keeps things moving, feeling as though it can never sit still. The filmmakers also made a lot of good choices to separate each world, as she enters new countries, there’s some great locations and sets to fill out the different lives. The choice of shots purposefully keeps things intimate, it never strays far, it’s nice and close to hold onto that feeling of intensity and bedlam.
Zoe throws back to cinema of the 1960s and 1970s, the days full of playful, nutty adventures. While there is a lovely message about making better choices in your own life rather than trying to find the answers in another, it keeps things nicely light. It’s silly and hyperactive, it almost feels like a cross behind capturing the manic pixie girl and a premature midlife crisis. The story isn’t without its flaws but it’s an enjoyable, hectic ride. You can really tell how much energy and effort Emanuela Galliussi put into the film as her debut feature and it’s excellent to see.
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