Club Zero (2023) Movie Script
1
- My parents do a paleo diet,
and they say it's
really healthy,
and I'd like to do
something like that.
- Protecting the environment
is extremely important to me.
And I hope that conscious eating
will contribute to
reducing global warming
by cutting down on
the consumption of
meat, for example.
- Um, I want to reduce my body
fat to improve my fitness.
I do sports,
so it's important to
care for your body.
- Um, for me, this course
is all about self-control.
Rich countries, like us, suffer
from an oversupply of food,
so we need to learn to
control what we eat.
- Um, I saw a video
about mindfulness-based
stress reduction.
Um, I think conscious eating
could be a similar thing.
- Healthy nutrition
is a core part
of a sustainable lifestyle,
and that matters a lot to me.
- I chose the class
because I need to increase my
PSHE score for my scholarship.
- Well, I think you
all made a good choice
joining this class,
because conscious
eating will enable you
to achieve everything
you have just named.
It will enable you to
make a contribution
towards saving the planet.
You will improve your fitness.
You will optimize
your self-control.
And you will increase
your PSHE score.
So, how do you think
we learn consciousness
by eating a bar of chocolate?
Well, then, let's see.
Who wants to start?
Now, before you open
the chocolate, Fred,
take a couple of deep breaths,
in through the nose
and out through the
mouth.
Mentally leave behind
whatever you're thinking of.
Make sure there is
nothing to distract you.
It's just you and the chocolate.
- Good morning, miss.
- Is
she the new teacher?
- Yeah, I think so.
- All our children
are highly talented.
At least that's what
their parents think.
And it is our task to meet
the parents' expectations.
We help these children
stretch their abilities.
"There's more in
you," as we say.
Obviously, we don't
exert pressure,
but you'd be surprised how
competitive these children are.
And extremely sensitive.
- They are in good
hands with me.
- It was very
important to the parents' board
that the children improve
their nutrition skills.
And conscious eating seems
to be the latest thing.
I'm so happy we found you.
- And I am very
happy to be here.
- One more thing:
I'd be glad if you could
help with the weekend duties.
They're so hard to cover.
- I am on my own, so
it's not a problem.
- Lovely!
Well, it may not do me any harm
to be more conscious
about my eating, too.
- Ooh!
You should, uh, try this tea.
It's a gift.
- Thank you!
Oh, dear.
Such a pretty smile.
This is vegan.
Just for you.
- Seriously?
Vegan is so out.
- Oh.
So, how's the new teacher?
As sophisticated as she
claims on her website?
I ordered her tea online.
- Yeah, her program is
supposed to be very healthy,
we were reading.
And it could help you
watch your weight.
- Why should I watch my weight?
- Well, it might help
to improve your performance
on the trampoline.
- Don't worry, darling.
Mum didn't mean it.
So, how about you show us
how to eat consciously?
We'd love to see how it works.
Right?
- Yeah.
- It's really easy.
- It was actually my
idea to hire Ms. Novak.
I was the one who introduced
her to the parents' board.
- How did you find her?
- Through her website.
The other parents
were fans immediately.
- You've done so well, my dear.
- No, seriously.
I find it so important
to teach our kids
how to reduce their consumerism.
- Well, let's see if
Ragna keeps up with that.
You spoil her too much.
- It's not easy to
do the right thing.
- Elsa, please.
Can you just eat
something for a change?
Just because your
mother won't eat,
doesn't mean you
have to do the same.
- Larry, please.
- I'm eating consciously.
It's the new thing at school.
It's healthy,
strengthens my willpower,
and preserves the environment.
- Oh, that's beautiful.
- Yeah,
well, spare me your excuses.
Just eat your meal, okay?
- You don't have
the slightest idea
of what this is all about.
- Well, Fred, you're not
going home for the weekend?
Come with me.
I have something
specially for you.
- Nice picture you have here.
- It's my favorite place.
You would like it there.
Hum!
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum!
- Ragna!
Well done, Ragna.
But you can do even better.
- Why so tense, huh?
Loosen those shoulders.
Yeah.
Remember to think
up, like I said.
A piece of string is pulling
you right up to the top.
And that poor little rose.
Look how beautiful it is, eh?
Really take that moment in.
Don't just...
Yeah?
And then go off, yeah?
Let's go again.
Ready?
- Yeah.
- Well, Fred.
I hope your parents have
been in touch meanwhile?
- I concentrated
completely on what I was eating:
How it tasted and how
it felt in my mouth.
- Good.
- Yeah, and as a result, I was
less hungry, so I ate less.
Consequently, I was able
to reduce my insulin dose.
And after eating, I was
less tired than usual.
- Very good, Fred.
So, you've experienced
how conscious eating
changes your metabolism.
That is why you needed less
insulin and you were less tired.
Wonderful!
Any other reason why
we should eat less?
- To save the planet?
- Yes, but not only that, Helen,
there is another reason
why we want to eat less.
The body launches a
self-cleansing process
if it is not given any food
over an extended period of time.
The cells start to
discard useless waste
and renew themselves.
The process is called autophagy.
It strengthens and
purifies our bodies.
With conscious eating,
we aim to activate this
mechanism consciously.
Yes?
- But don't you get
weak, if you eat less?
- No. On the contrary,
remember Fred's experience.
He felt stronger and less tired.
Autophagy can even
heal diseases,
and it has been proven
to prolong our life
for 10 to 20 years.
- Wow.
- No, Ben.
This piece is much too big.
Very good, but chew
a bit more slowly.
That's right.
The slower you eat, the
less food you'll need.
That's where the
autophagy starts.
- Ms. Novak isn't gonna
get anywhere with him.
It's sad.
- I know how you feel.
- What?
- I see you.
- What are
you talking about?
- You wanna be seen.
- Careful. I think
he likes you.
Enjoy.
- I've been watching you, Elsa.
You have a strong
will, I can see that.
You're capable of
controlling your body.
Very few people can do that.
You could go very far in
conscious eating or even beyond.
- Sometimes, I really wish
I didn't have any food
in my body at all.
But my father,
he forces me.
- I know.
Somebody who does not
eat is not tolerated.
Do you know why?
Because it frightens people
when you question their truth.
Most people are
like your father.
They hold on to
their old beliefs
like to a walking stick
without which they would fall.
Most people don't have
the slightest clue
what they are capable of.
They are convinced they need
to eat in order to live.
- And isn't that true?
- Don't you think you should
work on your attitude?
Well, the way you
constantly eat,
Elsa's never gonna like you.
- What makes you think-
- Well, isn't that
what you want?
To be one of us?
I really don't know what
you have against Ms. Novak.
Her lessons are
really inspiring.
Everybody thinks so, except you.
- Well, maybe I don't
wanna be like everybody.
- You know, it's your own
fault nobody likes you.
- Well, Fred,
you're doing great.
Keep it up.
So far, we've learned
that eating less
prolongs our life,
improves our health, and helps
to preserve our environment.
But still, we feel
that sometimes
it's hard to resist the
temptations around us.
Right?
- Mm.
- Right. That's normal.
It's not easy to say, "All this
delicious food I am offered,
"it's all bad for my
body and my mind."
Well, but most of it is bad
for your body and your mind.
Maybe to an even greater
extent than you think.
Worldwide, more and
more humans become sick
and die early due
to ill nutrition.
Meat, sugar, processed food:
We are constantly being
seduced to consume food
our body can hardly digest.
Think about it.
Think about the consequences
it has on our lives.
For those of you who are ready
to be part of a real change
that's more efficient,
even more radical than
anything we did until now,
those are invited to
enter the next level
of conscious eating:
A plant-based mono diet.
It means we eat only one
type of food at a time,
preferably veggies.
- I think Ms. Novak
is exaggerating.
A mono diet?
That's too much.
- Too little, you mean.
- Don't you get
angry about how we're
constantly seduced
to eat all this crap
so that some people
can make more money?
- Well, maybe
that's just how it is.
We're not going to
change the world.
- Enjoy.
- Don't you see that
it's the food industry
and their lobby who make
sure nothing changes?
- You think a mono diet
would change anything?
- Maybe it will,
if more and more people
refused to eat all that trash.
- The carbon emissions
caused by factory farming
would be reduced and the
ecologic system could recover.
- If people had
to buy less food,
consequently there would
be more economic equality.
- At least no one
would have to starve
from being poor anymore.
- Today is chicken
nuggets and potato wedges.
- We can eat the wedges.
Are you really
gonna eat all that?
What grade did you get
on the Mandarin test?
- I got a B.
What about you?
- A.
I didn't even really
have to study.
I mean, it just
seemed so simple.
- Wow.
Why is it so hard for her?
I mean, can't she see
the bigger picture?
What we do is so important.
- It's my own fault.
I was so hungry.
- You just need to
work on yourself.
I'm sure you can do it.
- We should tell Ms. Novak.
Maybe she can help you.
- I ate unconsciously.
I was just so hungry. I'm sorry.
- Thank you
for being honest, Ragna.
It is normal to weaken.
- I'll carry on training.
- It's your willpower, dear.
Do you really want this?
- I do.
- Then show us.
Show the others.
Show them how strong
you really are.
It's all right, Ragna.
Don't worry.
I'm here to save you.
- She gave me the tea.
- See? She's trying to help you.
- Yeah.
- It's incredible how
much there is to do here.
And our project's just
a small contribution.
- But it's so important.
Here we really
can change things.
- It's an incredible feeling.
We end up working
the whole time.
- And enjoying it.
- Hi, Freddie.
- Hey, little bro.
- Guess what?
Yesterday, in the yard,
there was a python.
It was so big, wasn't it, Mum?
I threw a stone and it vanished.
- That's really cool.
It'll be so great, I can
hardly wait to be with you.
- Fred,
it really would be better if
you finished school first.
- Why, though? I can
just take a year out.
- That's not such
a good idea, Fred.
With your grades right now,
I don't think there's much
chance you could do it.
- Your father's right, Fred.
And anyway, it gets
really hot here,
and you know very well how
dangerous that is with diabetes.
Believe me, darling, we only
want what's best for you.
- Use your plie.
Come on, Fred, focus.
You can do this.
What's up?
Hm?
- It's just...
- You can
talk to me, Fred.
I'm here for you.
- My parents don't really
have much confidence in me.
It makes me feel like I'm
not capable of anything.
And now they've dumped me here.
I'm a difficult child.
- Not at all.
Your parents don't
seem to see you
the way you really are, Fred.
Good boy.
My boy.
- I feel wonderful.
Thanks to conscious eating
and your tea.
So, how are you getting
on with our children?
- Oh,
very well, actually.
Although, how should I put it?
Some of them are less
responsive than others.
- Hm!
Well, I know some of the
children are rather difficult.
Their parents don't
have time for them
and then it is on us alone to
give them all the attention
and affection they need.
- Mm.
One boy in particular
worries me:
Ben.
- Ben Benedict?
But he's so talented.
He's applied for
full scholarship.
- Yes, he is talented indeed.
That is why I make
an effort here.
I think he could do great
at conscious eating.
But something is
holding him back.
- Ben's mother is a single mum.
His father is dead.
- Oh.
- Yes.
- Well, we know sometimes,
a child feels guilty for
their parents' hard life.
Especially if it
is a single mum.
But, for now,
I cannot grant him
the score he needs
in order to obtain
a full scholarship.
- Really?
- Very good.
- Ben Benedict?
- Yes?
- Can you
come with me, please?
- Yeah.
- Right,
we start again.
- And honestly, Ben,
a more conscious approach to
nutrition will do you good.
I'm doing it myself.
And think of the benefit
your mother would have
from a full scholarship.
- Ms. Novak wants
us to support Ben.
- As if that was easy.
He really is a tough cookie.
- You're the only one he's
gonna listen to, Elsa.
- Me? Why me?
- I know there is
somebody present
who has been eating
unconsciously.
I would like this
person to speak up now.
Ben?
- Yes?
- It pains me, truly,
to see a brilliant,
smart boy like you
continue to resist the
principles of conscious eating.
Why?
- I- I don't know.
- Tell us the reason
for your behavior.
Perhaps we can help you.
- Um, I'm afraid that
if I don't eat enough,
then I can't concentrate
on my studies.
- This is what most people
believe since their childhood,
and yet, you've
heard in this class
that the opposite is true.
- Maybe I just don't wanna
disappoint my mother.
She loves to cook for me.
- Now is the time to let
go of your restraints, Ben,
and to become the
person you really are.
Because what happens
to all of us,
if we attempt to fulfill the
expectations of our parents
and of society?
We lose ourselves.
Do you not want to give
yourself the chance
and join in with us?
- I do.
- We thank Ben for his
honesty and his courage.
This is the energy we need.
I want you all to
look at this boy
and think, "Everything
is possible."
Hum.
- Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
- Hum!
- Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
- Listen, Ben.
I don't want you to be ashamed
or feel obliged to do anything
just for the scholarship.
I mean, "conscious eating?"
What nonsense!
- But we need the scholarship.
- Not if you attended
a state school.
Apparently, this school
just isn't for us.
We're not rich.
Maybe it was nothing
but a dream after all.
- But I don't wanna
quit right now.
Maybe it would do
me good to eat less.
- What?
You do as you want.
I simply thought
you liked my food.
- I do like it, Mum.
- Then
why would you let
Ms. Novak jeopardize that?
- The tea is delicious.
Thank you, Ms. Novak,
for inviting us.
- I called you in because you
have made such a progress.
Really, the whole group
has made terrific progress.
- Well, yeah, We really
wanna make a difference.
- I can tell.
You have come very far
on your way to become
conscious eaters.
- Thank you, Ms. Novak.
- And maybe, you'll be
able to go even further.
If you want to?
- Well, yes.
- Well, actually,
we were wondering
what we could do
to go even further
to ultimately change our
belief of what we should eat.
I mean, the belief
of our parents,
how we can overcome it.
- And we've found, um, a video
on the internet
about a man who nourishes
himself from light, or prana,
and we wanted to know
what you think of it.
Whether you think it
could be possible?
- I don't know much
about pranic nourishment.
It sounds a bit esoteric,
don't you think?
These people obviously seek
the attention from the media.
- But-
- But, between us,
there really exists a
worldwide association of people
who do not eat.
Of course, it's secret.
The general public is not
yet ready to understand.
They shouldn't learn about
it until the time is right.
- So, it really is possible?
- Oh, yes.
I'm a member of
Club Zero myself.
The club is constantly growing.
More and more people realize
that in many respects, it's
much better not to eat at all.
For our minds, our bodies,
and, last but not
least, the environment.
It has become a
question of survival.
- Club Zero?
Are you part of the
agricultural protest movement?
- No, but we do
appreciate their actions.
Anything that stops
exaggerated consumerism helps.
- But how is it
possible, scientifically?
- Well, this is just
now being evaluated.
The question is, why do
we seek scientific proof
for something that
obviously works?
- Do you think us, too,
we could be part of...
- You could try.
If you really want to.
- What do we have to do?
- Ms. Novak signed it.
- Yeah, I think the
performance was really moving.
And her voice as well, was
really, really powerful.
- Fred.
Ms. Novak.
You know, I'm really pleased
you're so interested in music.
After all, you're a
very gifted dancer.
Ms. Novak, I didn't know
you were so into the opera.
- Yes.
Have a wonderful night.
- And you.
- Thank you, Elsa.
Yes?
We are meditating.
- I'm so sorry, I
don't wanna disrupt anything.
It's just that Fred....
We really need to be
rehearsing before parents' day.
We have quite a
demanding choreography
which we need to get through.
- I apologize
for the inconvenience.
Fred will be with you as
soon as we are finished.
- Okay.
- Now, I advise you
to keep all of this
strictly confidential,
not to tell the other
pupils or your parents.
They wouldn't understand.
And by questioning you, they
would weaken your faith.
You could be among the
few who will actually live
when the rest of the
world is going under.
- Today was...
I mean, wow!
- Feels like she bewitched us.
- Yeah!
- I'm out.
- She can't be serious.
- Why? What's the problem?
We're entering the next level.
- We need to take
radical action now.
- Well, I can't
live without eating.
- But you can.
You just think you can't.
- Don't you get it?
It's a question of faith.
- No, I don't get it.
What about you, Ragna?
- Me?
Why? Of course, I'm in.
I'm with Ms. Novak.
- They're so narrow-minded.
Why can't they
just try and accept
that something might exist
which they don't
fully understand?
- I'm not hungry.
- Me neither.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Take some.
- Actually, Dad,
I've already eaten.
- Oh.
- Yeah, I took some food
from the fridge earlier,
I was just so hungry, you know?
Now I'm really full.
- So what did you
take from the fridge?
I mean, there isn't very much.
- What are you trying to say?
Do you think I'm lying to you?
- Of course not, darling.
It's just that you really
should eat something.
- Really?
I thought you wanted
me to watch my weight.
- Yeah, I didn't mean...
- At least try some broccoli.
That's in line with
your mono diet.
- I've already said I'm full!
- As you wish, my dear.
- "As you wish, my dear."
"As you wish, my dear."
But I don't want to
wish for what you
want me to wish for anymore.
Hey, Elsa.
Haven't eaten
anything at all today.
I feel high.
Amazing.
- Hey, Ragna.
It's fantastic.
If I don't eat,
I don't have to puke.
At last.
- We're always
here for you if you need us.
And you really can tell us
if anything is bothering you.
- I never meant you
should starve yourself.
- What is wrong with you two?
- We think you haven't
eaten anything all weekend.
We're just worried.
- Dad, you always
worry too much.
It's an exercise for
conscious eating.
We discipline ourselves
to cleanse our bodies.
- Are you?
- Yes.
All of Ms. Novak's
class does it.
- Yeah, if it's under
Ms. Novak's control.
- I don't know exactly
what's going on here,
but I think Ms. Novak is
manipulating our children.
- Well, certainly
Ms. Novak is very specific
about what she expects
from her pupils.
But as far as I know, Ben
has much improved lately.
I'm quite optimistic
about the scholarship.
- This isn't about
the scholarship.
There's something wrong here.
The children aren't eating.
- Well, the children
are eating consciously.
- I- I hear Ms. Novak,
she hasn't got any
children of her own,
so perhaps
she loves our children
more than she should.
- Oh, please.
Ms. Novak is a
dedicated teacher.
She devotes her life
to her students.
And she is extremely
supportive of your son.
- Yeah.
No, you're right,
and I am, we are
extremely grateful for all
the goodwill you exert on us.
But what if Ms. Novak
is taking it too far?
- This fish is so good.
- Yeah, it is.
- I love these carrots.
Have you tried them?
- I'm gonna try the dessert.
- Yeah, me too.
- Helen.
Is everything all right?
Are you doing well, my dear?
- We're just fine, Ms. Dorset.
- And Fred, why
did you miss your dance lesson?
Mr. Dahl was so disappointed.
- Oh, it won't happen again.
I just got a bad grade in maths,
so I had to revise
hard for a test.
But Ben helped me.
- Yeah.
- My goodness, Ragna!
Soon you'll fly away
and never come back.
- How talented Elsa is.
- Thank you.
- And then
an enormous gray wolf
came out of the forest.
- Such a pity his
parents can't see this.
They are really
missing something.
- Mm!
Sorry.
- Oh, no, no. Go ahead.
It's normal.
Takes a lot of time to
build up the right belief.
- What is
the right belief, then?
- Well, you said yourself,
you feel better
after eating less.
- In the beginning, yes.
Um, but now-
- Now your mind interferes.
It doesn't want to believe
what is actually true.
It isn't used to
thinking that, in fact,
we don't need to eat.
- What?
- Well, what I am saying is,
we don't need to eat as
much as we are told to.
So stupid.
We praise thee, Almighty Mother.
Mother, we have come
so close to you.
Our faith is growing every day.
Don't let anybody spoil
what we have achieved.
Please, let me
fulfill this call.
- I feel so great.
It's unbelievable.
I mean, this is a
revolutionary moment
and we're a part of it.
- Me too, me too.
It feels great.
- You seem to be a
fast learner, huh?
Or unless you're eating
in secret or something?
- No.
Are you?
- Never mind.
He just always has to
be top of the class.
- I don't have to take any
insulin at all anymore.
- Shouldn't you be
careful about that?
- Do you wanna play?
- Have you been eating?
- What?
No.
I don't eat, just like you.
- I smelt your breath.
- Fred.
Fred!
Um!
- Fred has
suffered from ketoacidosis.
Must have been caused by
incorrect insulin doses.
This could be life-threatening.
- We're very
worried about you, Fred.
- I'm sorry.
- Fred, diabetes is
a serious condition.
Don't you understand?
- You must inject
your basal insulin,
no matter how little you eat.
- I don't know, Martha.
He's hard to talk to.
As always.
No, no, no. Please, stay.
Seth needs you.
And the project does, too.
How did the meeting go?
Really?
Well, what exactly did they say?
- Of course, I
understand your worries,
but I only have limited control
over how accurately Fred
measures his insulin dose.
Yes. Naturally.
He himself is
responsible for that.
Fred has always been
a difficult child.
But he is going to get
an automatic device
implanted in his upper arm now.
- Good.
- Then everything
will be fine.
Fred has become so thin.
Isn't there any supervision
to ensure the
children eat enough?
- Yes, of course.
The health of our pupils
is our top priority.
I assure you.
- It isn't easy for us
to be separated from our son.
I have to rely on you.
Please, take good
care of our child.
I'm so sorry I have to leave.
The project-
- No problem, Dad.
Send my love to Seth.
And to Mum.
- Of course.
- Ms. Novak seems
to be very lonely.
We pupils are everything to her.
I don't think she
means it maliciously.
On the contrary.
Ms. Novak needs us.
Especially Fred.
I think she loves Fred.
- And the opera?
- Lovely performance.
Very modern.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
Yeah, the two of them
seemed almost, um, intimate.
I don't wanna cause any
trouble for a colleague,
it's just if Fred's
parents were to find out.
- Ms. Novak is becoming a risk.
- I don't feel good about this.
After all, Fred's
parents are abroad.
She only tried to
comfort the boy.
- Do you think Ms. Novak
will hold it against us?
- I deeply regret
what has occurred.
After all, Ms.
Novak was appointed
on the initiative of
the parents' board.
But I would like to point out
that Ms. Novak, undoubtedly,
is a pioneer in her field.
But it appears that
she has transgressed
one of the fundamental
rules of our establishment:
That it is forbidden
for teaching staff
to associate with
pupils in private.
Ms. Novak invited a
pupil to the theater.
- The opera. They
went to the opera.
- Oh. Excuse me.
So, Ms. Novak invited the
pupil in question to the opera.
- We must on no account
be somehow lenient,
simply because we were the ones
who brought Ms. Novak
into the school.
- The name of the
pupil in question
should not be made known.
But for us parents,
that virtually means that
it could be any child.
Mine.
Or yours.
Or yours.
- Anyway, going to
the theater together,
or the opera,
is the only instance of
misconduct that we know about.
Who can say what else may
have happened in secret?
- Exactly.
- Yeah.
I'm in favor of dismissing
Ms. Novak immediately.
- As am I.
- Please, let's
not get agitated.
The incident in question
might also be seen
as a minor mistake.
And Ms. Novak seems to be a
dedicated teacher after all.
So if any of you wants
to make a statement
in favor of Ms. Novak,
please raise your hand now.
Very well, then.
I yield to the majority's
demand.
We come to our next question:
The acquisition of new
chairs for the music room.
- It must be a mistake.
I do everything to
support these children.
And they are making
great progress right now.
You have to take this
into consideration.
- Ms. Novak,
I like you.
Your enthusiasm has been an
inspiration to all of us.
And who will take
over your weekends?
But associating with a pupil
in private is not permitted.
And we simply can't afford
to have dissatisfied parents.
They pay a lot of
money for this school,
and they expect
not to be bothered.
I'm so sorry.
- I heard she went
to visit a pupil in his home.
- Really?
The way I heard it, she
took him to the theater.
- She doesn't
have a family of her own.
The children are her whole life.
- Maybe she
can't have her own children.
- She forced the
kids to starve themselves.
Elsa became bulimic.
- I don't know, Elsa's
always been bulimic.
But Ragna? Soon she'll be
too light for the trampoline.
- Poor girl.
- If I cannot be
Ms. Novak, who am I?
Who sees me here?
Nobody.
Nobody knows I can do it.
That I really can do it.
Look here.
Look at me.
Why have you forsaken
me, Almighty Mother?
I beg you, give me a sign.
You still believe
in me, don't you?
- I always will.
- That's enough!
Eat the damn sausage.
Eat it!
- Please.
Forgive me.
I'm so sorry.
- I'm not hungry.
I don't need to eat.
It's a miracle.
- No, it's not.
It's a disaster.
- I just wanted to tell you,
I know how important
Ms. Novak was to you.
And I want you to know
that I tried to defend her.
- Can't you see
I'm busy right now?
- You don't have to punish me
by continuing to refuse food.
- This isn't about you.
Stop manipulating me.
I'm not your puppet.
- Elsa, dear?
We brought you some lunch.
- I will not eat.
- But why?
- The way we produce
and consume food today
is deeply harmful
for us as a species.
Food production destroys
our environment,
and the vast number of
additives destroys our bodies.
The reason for our
nutritional behavior today
is a commercial one.
More and more people have
to eat more and more food,
so the food industry
makes more and more money,
and this makes
people not only sick
but also dependent
on the conditions of
their social status.
Those who can live
without food are free
from all social and
commercial pressure,
thus, we are threatening
the capitalist system.
This will be
politically explosive.
- Yes, but, honey, what
if it only works briefly,
but then you suffer
from malnutrition?
And you can even die.
- Maybe you
need to consider
that what you think is true
might not be true after all.
- Well, it is true
that you need to eat.
- No. It's not true, Dad.
By my mere willpower,
I can alter this truth.
By the power of my mind,
I can alter reality.
For instance,
if I wanted you to get
cancer, Mum, you'd get cancer.
- Okay, don't say
that. That's not nice.
- Or if I wanted it to
rain this afternoon,
it will rain.
- Do you think I
will get cancer now?
- That would be a pretty
unfortunate coincidence.
Elsa, open the door now.
- It's open.
- Oh, God.
Look, Larry.
She's eaten.
- Eating is purely
a matter of belief.
If we believed we
were to eat vomit,
people would do that.
- Elsa,
what do you want us to do?
- There is only one person
who could change my mind.
- Yeah?
- Ms. Novak.
- Who the fuck is Ms. Novak?
- It's her nutrition teacher.
Yes?
- Hi.
- How can I help you?
- I'm- I'm one of
the parents here.
Thank you.
Oh. Right.
Thank you.
- Oh, hi!
- Hello.
- How are you?
- I'm good.
This is Ben's mother,
this is Ragna's father.
- Nice to meet you.
- Paul Schmidt.
- Jenny.
- Ragna hasn't eaten
anything for days.
If she carries on like this...
- Well,
we- we hope that Ms. Novak
is willing to help us.
- What?
But it's all her fault.
Or else why would she
have been expelled?
- The parents' board had a very
difficult decision to make.
It had nothing to do with
questioning Ms. Novak's
competence as a
nutrition teacher.
She was expelled for
completely different reasons.
- She took one
pupil to the opera.
- No, the theater.
They went to the theater.
- Yes, and the question
we should allow
ourselves to ask is,
did it ever harm any
pupil to visit the opera?
Or the theater?
- We were shocked to see how
easy the future of a woman
like Ms. Novak was destroyed.
She devoted her life
to our children,
and we just put her
out on the street.
- Can't you see
what's going on here?
She was the one who
made our children
stop eating in the first place.
- I think I know what you mean.
Our children were
inspired by her lessons,
but then they took it too far.
- We cannot trust her.
- What Gretchen is trying to say
is that Ms. Novak
didn't mean any harm.
We should trust her.
- If she doesn't
cooperate, we'll sue her.
- Even if
it's Ms. Novak's fault,
she's the only person
who can convince our Elsa
to start eating again.
We have to trust her
because we need her.
No, thank you.
- Well,
we don't want to keep
your parents waiting,
so let's start.
Where's Helen?
- Oh. Skiing in Switzerland.
- What a pity.
- I feel stronger
than ever before.
- I feel completely free.
I have absolute control
over my body and my mind.
- I've only now just realized
how brainwashed I actually
was before.
How much I depended on what
other people expected from me.
Especially my mother.
But I can see clearly now.
I now know my mother
suffers, herself,
from the pressures
of our society,
and that basically
it's not her fault
that she passes this
pressure on to me,
but I'm- I'm willing to
liberate myself from it.
- I...
I didn't think it
would work for me.
Somehow, I just wasn't
ready to believe in it.
But now I
know I can do it.
My faith is stronger than ever.
- It has
become very clear now.
There is no going back.
It is not possible for you
to live with the expectations
and pressures of those
who are so close to you.
They would force you
to live like them
and finally to perish with them.
Is that what you want?
Well, then,
I hereby declare you
members of Club Zero.
I congratulate you.
You have been chosen to
follow the great path
that leads us from our
transitory existence
to eternal life.
We will be saved.
- I've been thinking,
I won't come to Ghana next year.
You were right.
I'm sure it'd be better
for me to stay here
because of school.
- And because of the climate.
You know-
- I know.
- It's a good decision, Fred.
- We say goodbye now, darling.
Our guests have arrived.
Merry Christmas to you.
- Thank you, Mum.
You too.
I love you all.
Goodbye.
- Merry Christmas, guys.
- Merry Christmas, love.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Fred.
- Is that for me?
- Yes, love!
- Thank you.
- I will always love you.
- Please,
not too much, Dad.
My body needs to get used
to food again slowly.
- As
you wish, my dearest.
Bon appetit.
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- It's been ages since
I've eaten that.
- You don't have
to finish it, Elsa.
I wouldn't want
you to feel sick.
- Thanks, Dad.
- I was so
afraid of losing Elsa.
- I know.
- Now, we'll be fine, right?
- Yeah. We will.
Stop driving yourself crazy.
Everything is gonna be fine.
I'm sure.
- Miss Elsa?
Time to get up.
- Darling?
- "You mustn't
try to find me."
- "And please,
Mum, don't be too sad.
"I am much better now."
- "I am in a better place.
"In a better world.
"Forever.
"I love you too.
"Ben."
- "And please,
no need to feel guilty.
"I am much better now.
I am in a better place.
"In a better world.
"Forever.
"It is not your fault.
"Ragna."
- I feel so sorry for you.
It seems so unfair.
Just because we were
skiing in Switzerland,
our Helen was saved.
- Helen.
Why we asked for this meeting,
what we would all
like to know is...
I'm sorry, it is very hard
for me to speak about this.
- What we wanna ask you, Helen:
Why?
- Why?
Isn't that obvious?
- No, not at all.
- Please, be gentle with Helen.
She's suffered a severe trauma,
having lost her classmates.
- We've lost our children.
- We don't know that.
It's still possible that
they're alive somewhere.
- Of course, they're
still alive somewhere.
It's us who is going to perish,
do you still not get it?
- Well, perhaps it would help
if we also tried to stop eating.
Then maybe we would understand.
- Certainly.
But you'd need to have faith.
- My parents do a paleo diet,
and they say it's
really healthy,
and I'd like to do
something like that.
- Protecting the environment
is extremely important to me.
And I hope that conscious eating
will contribute to
reducing global warming
by cutting down on
the consumption of
meat, for example.
- Um, I want to reduce my body
fat to improve my fitness.
I do sports,
so it's important to
care for your body.
- Um, for me, this course
is all about self-control.
Rich countries, like us, suffer
from an oversupply of food,
so we need to learn to
control what we eat.
- Um, I saw a video
about mindfulness-based
stress reduction.
Um, I think conscious eating
could be a similar thing.
- Healthy nutrition
is a core part
of a sustainable lifestyle,
and that matters a lot to me.
- I chose the class
because I need to increase my
PSHE score for my scholarship.
- Well, I think you
all made a good choice
joining this class,
because conscious
eating will enable you
to achieve everything
you have just named.
It will enable you to
make a contribution
towards saving the planet.
You will improve your fitness.
You will optimize
your self-control.
And you will increase
your PSHE score.
So, how do you think
we learn consciousness
by eating a bar of chocolate?
Well, then, let's see.
Who wants to start?
Now, before you open
the chocolate, Fred,
take a couple of deep breaths,
in through the nose
and out through the
mouth.
Mentally leave behind
whatever you're thinking of.
Make sure there is
nothing to distract you.
It's just you and the chocolate.
- Good morning, miss.
- Is
she the new teacher?
- Yeah, I think so.
- All our children
are highly talented.
At least that's what
their parents think.
And it is our task to meet
the parents' expectations.
We help these children
stretch their abilities.
"There's more in
you," as we say.
Obviously, we don't
exert pressure,
but you'd be surprised how
competitive these children are.
And extremely sensitive.
- They are in good
hands with me.
- It was very
important to the parents' board
that the children improve
their nutrition skills.
And conscious eating seems
to be the latest thing.
I'm so happy we found you.
- And I am very
happy to be here.
- One more thing:
I'd be glad if you could
help with the weekend duties.
They're so hard to cover.
- I am on my own, so
it's not a problem.
- Lovely!
Well, it may not do me any harm
to be more conscious
about my eating, too.
- Ooh!
You should, uh, try this tea.
It's a gift.
- Thank you!
Oh, dear.
Such a pretty smile.
This is vegan.
Just for you.
- Seriously?
Vegan is so out.
- Oh.
So, how's the new teacher?
As sophisticated as she
claims on her website?
I ordered her tea online.
- Yeah, her program is
supposed to be very healthy,
we were reading.
And it could help you
watch your weight.
- Why should I watch my weight?
- Well, it might help
to improve your performance
on the trampoline.
- Don't worry, darling.
Mum didn't mean it.
So, how about you show us
how to eat consciously?
We'd love to see how it works.
Right?
- Yeah.
- It's really easy.
- It was actually my
idea to hire Ms. Novak.
I was the one who introduced
her to the parents' board.
- How did you find her?
- Through her website.
The other parents
were fans immediately.
- You've done so well, my dear.
- No, seriously.
I find it so important
to teach our kids
how to reduce their consumerism.
- Well, let's see if
Ragna keeps up with that.
You spoil her too much.
- It's not easy to
do the right thing.
- Elsa, please.
Can you just eat
something for a change?
Just because your
mother won't eat,
doesn't mean you
have to do the same.
- Larry, please.
- I'm eating consciously.
It's the new thing at school.
It's healthy,
strengthens my willpower,
and preserves the environment.
- Oh, that's beautiful.
- Yeah,
well, spare me your excuses.
Just eat your meal, okay?
- You don't have
the slightest idea
of what this is all about.
- Well, Fred, you're not
going home for the weekend?
Come with me.
I have something
specially for you.
- Nice picture you have here.
- It's my favorite place.
You would like it there.
Hum!
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum!
- Ragna!
Well done, Ragna.
But you can do even better.
- Why so tense, huh?
Loosen those shoulders.
Yeah.
Remember to think
up, like I said.
A piece of string is pulling
you right up to the top.
And that poor little rose.
Look how beautiful it is, eh?
Really take that moment in.
Don't just...
Yeah?
And then go off, yeah?
Let's go again.
Ready?
- Yeah.
- Well, Fred.
I hope your parents have
been in touch meanwhile?
- I concentrated
completely on what I was eating:
How it tasted and how
it felt in my mouth.
- Good.
- Yeah, and as a result, I was
less hungry, so I ate less.
Consequently, I was able
to reduce my insulin dose.
And after eating, I was
less tired than usual.
- Very good, Fred.
So, you've experienced
how conscious eating
changes your metabolism.
That is why you needed less
insulin and you were less tired.
Wonderful!
Any other reason why
we should eat less?
- To save the planet?
- Yes, but not only that, Helen,
there is another reason
why we want to eat less.
The body launches a
self-cleansing process
if it is not given any food
over an extended period of time.
The cells start to
discard useless waste
and renew themselves.
The process is called autophagy.
It strengthens and
purifies our bodies.
With conscious eating,
we aim to activate this
mechanism consciously.
Yes?
- But don't you get
weak, if you eat less?
- No. On the contrary,
remember Fred's experience.
He felt stronger and less tired.
Autophagy can even
heal diseases,
and it has been proven
to prolong our life
for 10 to 20 years.
- Wow.
- No, Ben.
This piece is much too big.
Very good, but chew
a bit more slowly.
That's right.
The slower you eat, the
less food you'll need.
That's where the
autophagy starts.
- Ms. Novak isn't gonna
get anywhere with him.
It's sad.
- I know how you feel.
- What?
- I see you.
- What are
you talking about?
- You wanna be seen.
- Careful. I think
he likes you.
Enjoy.
- I've been watching you, Elsa.
You have a strong
will, I can see that.
You're capable of
controlling your body.
Very few people can do that.
You could go very far in
conscious eating or even beyond.
- Sometimes, I really wish
I didn't have any food
in my body at all.
But my father,
he forces me.
- I know.
Somebody who does not
eat is not tolerated.
Do you know why?
Because it frightens people
when you question their truth.
Most people are
like your father.
They hold on to
their old beliefs
like to a walking stick
without which they would fall.
Most people don't have
the slightest clue
what they are capable of.
They are convinced they need
to eat in order to live.
- And isn't that true?
- Don't you think you should
work on your attitude?
Well, the way you
constantly eat,
Elsa's never gonna like you.
- What makes you think-
- Well, isn't that
what you want?
To be one of us?
I really don't know what
you have against Ms. Novak.
Her lessons are
really inspiring.
Everybody thinks so, except you.
- Well, maybe I don't
wanna be like everybody.
- You know, it's your own
fault nobody likes you.
- Well, Fred,
you're doing great.
Keep it up.
So far, we've learned
that eating less
prolongs our life,
improves our health, and helps
to preserve our environment.
But still, we feel
that sometimes
it's hard to resist the
temptations around us.
Right?
- Mm.
- Right. That's normal.
It's not easy to say, "All this
delicious food I am offered,
"it's all bad for my
body and my mind."
Well, but most of it is bad
for your body and your mind.
Maybe to an even greater
extent than you think.
Worldwide, more and
more humans become sick
and die early due
to ill nutrition.
Meat, sugar, processed food:
We are constantly being
seduced to consume food
our body can hardly digest.
Think about it.
Think about the consequences
it has on our lives.
For those of you who are ready
to be part of a real change
that's more efficient,
even more radical than
anything we did until now,
those are invited to
enter the next level
of conscious eating:
A plant-based mono diet.
It means we eat only one
type of food at a time,
preferably veggies.
- I think Ms. Novak
is exaggerating.
A mono diet?
That's too much.
- Too little, you mean.
- Don't you get
angry about how we're
constantly seduced
to eat all this crap
so that some people
can make more money?
- Well, maybe
that's just how it is.
We're not going to
change the world.
- Enjoy.
- Don't you see that
it's the food industry
and their lobby who make
sure nothing changes?
- You think a mono diet
would change anything?
- Maybe it will,
if more and more people
refused to eat all that trash.
- The carbon emissions
caused by factory farming
would be reduced and the
ecologic system could recover.
- If people had
to buy less food,
consequently there would
be more economic equality.
- At least no one
would have to starve
from being poor anymore.
- Today is chicken
nuggets and potato wedges.
- We can eat the wedges.
Are you really
gonna eat all that?
What grade did you get
on the Mandarin test?
- I got a B.
What about you?
- A.
I didn't even really
have to study.
I mean, it just
seemed so simple.
- Wow.
Why is it so hard for her?
I mean, can't she see
the bigger picture?
What we do is so important.
- It's my own fault.
I was so hungry.
- You just need to
work on yourself.
I'm sure you can do it.
- We should tell Ms. Novak.
Maybe she can help you.
- I ate unconsciously.
I was just so hungry. I'm sorry.
- Thank you
for being honest, Ragna.
It is normal to weaken.
- I'll carry on training.
- It's your willpower, dear.
Do you really want this?
- I do.
- Then show us.
Show the others.
Show them how strong
you really are.
It's all right, Ragna.
Don't worry.
I'm here to save you.
- She gave me the tea.
- See? She's trying to help you.
- Yeah.
- It's incredible how
much there is to do here.
And our project's just
a small contribution.
- But it's so important.
Here we really
can change things.
- It's an incredible feeling.
We end up working
the whole time.
- And enjoying it.
- Hi, Freddie.
- Hey, little bro.
- Guess what?
Yesterday, in the yard,
there was a python.
It was so big, wasn't it, Mum?
I threw a stone and it vanished.
- That's really cool.
It'll be so great, I can
hardly wait to be with you.
- Fred,
it really would be better if
you finished school first.
- Why, though? I can
just take a year out.
- That's not such
a good idea, Fred.
With your grades right now,
I don't think there's much
chance you could do it.
- Your father's right, Fred.
And anyway, it gets
really hot here,
and you know very well how
dangerous that is with diabetes.
Believe me, darling, we only
want what's best for you.
- Use your plie.
Come on, Fred, focus.
You can do this.
What's up?
Hm?
- It's just...
- You can
talk to me, Fred.
I'm here for you.
- My parents don't really
have much confidence in me.
It makes me feel like I'm
not capable of anything.
And now they've dumped me here.
I'm a difficult child.
- Not at all.
Your parents don't
seem to see you
the way you really are, Fred.
Good boy.
My boy.
- I feel wonderful.
Thanks to conscious eating
and your tea.
So, how are you getting
on with our children?
- Oh,
very well, actually.
Although, how should I put it?
Some of them are less
responsive than others.
- Hm!
Well, I know some of the
children are rather difficult.
Their parents don't
have time for them
and then it is on us alone to
give them all the attention
and affection they need.
- Mm.
One boy in particular
worries me:
Ben.
- Ben Benedict?
But he's so talented.
He's applied for
full scholarship.
- Yes, he is talented indeed.
That is why I make
an effort here.
I think he could do great
at conscious eating.
But something is
holding him back.
- Ben's mother is a single mum.
His father is dead.
- Oh.
- Yes.
- Well, we know sometimes,
a child feels guilty for
their parents' hard life.
Especially if it
is a single mum.
But, for now,
I cannot grant him
the score he needs
in order to obtain
a full scholarship.
- Really?
- Very good.
- Ben Benedict?
- Yes?
- Can you
come with me, please?
- Yeah.
- Right,
we start again.
- And honestly, Ben,
a more conscious approach to
nutrition will do you good.
I'm doing it myself.
And think of the benefit
your mother would have
from a full scholarship.
- Ms. Novak wants
us to support Ben.
- As if that was easy.
He really is a tough cookie.
- You're the only one he's
gonna listen to, Elsa.
- Me? Why me?
- I know there is
somebody present
who has been eating
unconsciously.
I would like this
person to speak up now.
Ben?
- Yes?
- It pains me, truly,
to see a brilliant,
smart boy like you
continue to resist the
principles of conscious eating.
Why?
- I- I don't know.
- Tell us the reason
for your behavior.
Perhaps we can help you.
- Um, I'm afraid that
if I don't eat enough,
then I can't concentrate
on my studies.
- This is what most people
believe since their childhood,
and yet, you've
heard in this class
that the opposite is true.
- Maybe I just don't wanna
disappoint my mother.
She loves to cook for me.
- Now is the time to let
go of your restraints, Ben,
and to become the
person you really are.
Because what happens
to all of us,
if we attempt to fulfill the
expectations of our parents
and of society?
We lose ourselves.
Do you not want to give
yourself the chance
and join in with us?
- I do.
- We thank Ben for his
honesty and his courage.
This is the energy we need.
I want you all to
look at this boy
and think, "Everything
is possible."
Hum.
- Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
- Hum!
- Hum.
Hum.
Hum.
- Listen, Ben.
I don't want you to be ashamed
or feel obliged to do anything
just for the scholarship.
I mean, "conscious eating?"
What nonsense!
- But we need the scholarship.
- Not if you attended
a state school.
Apparently, this school
just isn't for us.
We're not rich.
Maybe it was nothing
but a dream after all.
- But I don't wanna
quit right now.
Maybe it would do
me good to eat less.
- What?
You do as you want.
I simply thought
you liked my food.
- I do like it, Mum.
- Then
why would you let
Ms. Novak jeopardize that?
- The tea is delicious.
Thank you, Ms. Novak,
for inviting us.
- I called you in because you
have made such a progress.
Really, the whole group
has made terrific progress.
- Well, yeah, We really
wanna make a difference.
- I can tell.
You have come very far
on your way to become
conscious eaters.
- Thank you, Ms. Novak.
- And maybe, you'll be
able to go even further.
If you want to?
- Well, yes.
- Well, actually,
we were wondering
what we could do
to go even further
to ultimately change our
belief of what we should eat.
I mean, the belief
of our parents,
how we can overcome it.
- And we've found, um, a video
on the internet
about a man who nourishes
himself from light, or prana,
and we wanted to know
what you think of it.
Whether you think it
could be possible?
- I don't know much
about pranic nourishment.
It sounds a bit esoteric,
don't you think?
These people obviously seek
the attention from the media.
- But-
- But, between us,
there really exists a
worldwide association of people
who do not eat.
Of course, it's secret.
The general public is not
yet ready to understand.
They shouldn't learn about
it until the time is right.
- So, it really is possible?
- Oh, yes.
I'm a member of
Club Zero myself.
The club is constantly growing.
More and more people realize
that in many respects, it's
much better not to eat at all.
For our minds, our bodies,
and, last but not
least, the environment.
It has become a
question of survival.
- Club Zero?
Are you part of the
agricultural protest movement?
- No, but we do
appreciate their actions.
Anything that stops
exaggerated consumerism helps.
- But how is it
possible, scientifically?
- Well, this is just
now being evaluated.
The question is, why do
we seek scientific proof
for something that
obviously works?
- Do you think us, too,
we could be part of...
- You could try.
If you really want to.
- What do we have to do?
- Ms. Novak signed it.
- Yeah, I think the
performance was really moving.
And her voice as well, was
really, really powerful.
- Fred.
Ms. Novak.
You know, I'm really pleased
you're so interested in music.
After all, you're a
very gifted dancer.
Ms. Novak, I didn't know
you were so into the opera.
- Yes.
Have a wonderful night.
- And you.
- Thank you, Elsa.
Yes?
We are meditating.
- I'm so sorry, I
don't wanna disrupt anything.
It's just that Fred....
We really need to be
rehearsing before parents' day.
We have quite a
demanding choreography
which we need to get through.
- I apologize
for the inconvenience.
Fred will be with you as
soon as we are finished.
- Okay.
- Now, I advise you
to keep all of this
strictly confidential,
not to tell the other
pupils or your parents.
They wouldn't understand.
And by questioning you, they
would weaken your faith.
You could be among the
few who will actually live
when the rest of the
world is going under.
- Today was...
I mean, wow!
- Feels like she bewitched us.
- Yeah!
- I'm out.
- She can't be serious.
- Why? What's the problem?
We're entering the next level.
- We need to take
radical action now.
- Well, I can't
live without eating.
- But you can.
You just think you can't.
- Don't you get it?
It's a question of faith.
- No, I don't get it.
What about you, Ragna?
- Me?
Why? Of course, I'm in.
I'm with Ms. Novak.
- They're so narrow-minded.
Why can't they
just try and accept
that something might exist
which they don't
fully understand?
- I'm not hungry.
- Me neither.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Take some.
- Actually, Dad,
I've already eaten.
- Oh.
- Yeah, I took some food
from the fridge earlier,
I was just so hungry, you know?
Now I'm really full.
- So what did you
take from the fridge?
I mean, there isn't very much.
- What are you trying to say?
Do you think I'm lying to you?
- Of course not, darling.
It's just that you really
should eat something.
- Really?
I thought you wanted
me to watch my weight.
- Yeah, I didn't mean...
- At least try some broccoli.
That's in line with
your mono diet.
- I've already said I'm full!
- As you wish, my dear.
- "As you wish, my dear."
"As you wish, my dear."
But I don't want to
wish for what you
want me to wish for anymore.
Hey, Elsa.
Haven't eaten
anything at all today.
I feel high.
Amazing.
- Hey, Ragna.
It's fantastic.
If I don't eat,
I don't have to puke.
At last.
- We're always
here for you if you need us.
And you really can tell us
if anything is bothering you.
- I never meant you
should starve yourself.
- What is wrong with you two?
- We think you haven't
eaten anything all weekend.
We're just worried.
- Dad, you always
worry too much.
It's an exercise for
conscious eating.
We discipline ourselves
to cleanse our bodies.
- Are you?
- Yes.
All of Ms. Novak's
class does it.
- Yeah, if it's under
Ms. Novak's control.
- I don't know exactly
what's going on here,
but I think Ms. Novak is
manipulating our children.
- Well, certainly
Ms. Novak is very specific
about what she expects
from her pupils.
But as far as I know, Ben
has much improved lately.
I'm quite optimistic
about the scholarship.
- This isn't about
the scholarship.
There's something wrong here.
The children aren't eating.
- Well, the children
are eating consciously.
- I- I hear Ms. Novak,
she hasn't got any
children of her own,
so perhaps
she loves our children
more than she should.
- Oh, please.
Ms. Novak is a
dedicated teacher.
She devotes her life
to her students.
And she is extremely
supportive of your son.
- Yeah.
No, you're right,
and I am, we are
extremely grateful for all
the goodwill you exert on us.
But what if Ms. Novak
is taking it too far?
- This fish is so good.
- Yeah, it is.
- I love these carrots.
Have you tried them?
- I'm gonna try the dessert.
- Yeah, me too.
- Helen.
Is everything all right?
Are you doing well, my dear?
- We're just fine, Ms. Dorset.
- And Fred, why
did you miss your dance lesson?
Mr. Dahl was so disappointed.
- Oh, it won't happen again.
I just got a bad grade in maths,
so I had to revise
hard for a test.
But Ben helped me.
- Yeah.
- My goodness, Ragna!
Soon you'll fly away
and never come back.
- How talented Elsa is.
- Thank you.
- And then
an enormous gray wolf
came out of the forest.
- Such a pity his
parents can't see this.
They are really
missing something.
- Mm!
Sorry.
- Oh, no, no. Go ahead.
It's normal.
Takes a lot of time to
build up the right belief.
- What is
the right belief, then?
- Well, you said yourself,
you feel better
after eating less.
- In the beginning, yes.
Um, but now-
- Now your mind interferes.
It doesn't want to believe
what is actually true.
It isn't used to
thinking that, in fact,
we don't need to eat.
- What?
- Well, what I am saying is,
we don't need to eat as
much as we are told to.
So stupid.
We praise thee, Almighty Mother.
Mother, we have come
so close to you.
Our faith is growing every day.
Don't let anybody spoil
what we have achieved.
Please, let me
fulfill this call.
- I feel so great.
It's unbelievable.
I mean, this is a
revolutionary moment
and we're a part of it.
- Me too, me too.
It feels great.
- You seem to be a
fast learner, huh?
Or unless you're eating
in secret or something?
- No.
Are you?
- Never mind.
He just always has to
be top of the class.
- I don't have to take any
insulin at all anymore.
- Shouldn't you be
careful about that?
- Do you wanna play?
- Have you been eating?
- What?
No.
I don't eat, just like you.
- I smelt your breath.
- Fred.
Fred!
Um!
- Fred has
suffered from ketoacidosis.
Must have been caused by
incorrect insulin doses.
This could be life-threatening.
- We're very
worried about you, Fred.
- I'm sorry.
- Fred, diabetes is
a serious condition.
Don't you understand?
- You must inject
your basal insulin,
no matter how little you eat.
- I don't know, Martha.
He's hard to talk to.
As always.
No, no, no. Please, stay.
Seth needs you.
And the project does, too.
How did the meeting go?
Really?
Well, what exactly did they say?
- Of course, I
understand your worries,
but I only have limited control
over how accurately Fred
measures his insulin dose.
Yes. Naturally.
He himself is
responsible for that.
Fred has always been
a difficult child.
But he is going to get
an automatic device
implanted in his upper arm now.
- Good.
- Then everything
will be fine.
Fred has become so thin.
Isn't there any supervision
to ensure the
children eat enough?
- Yes, of course.
The health of our pupils
is our top priority.
I assure you.
- It isn't easy for us
to be separated from our son.
I have to rely on you.
Please, take good
care of our child.
I'm so sorry I have to leave.
The project-
- No problem, Dad.
Send my love to Seth.
And to Mum.
- Of course.
- Ms. Novak seems
to be very lonely.
We pupils are everything to her.
I don't think she
means it maliciously.
On the contrary.
Ms. Novak needs us.
Especially Fred.
I think she loves Fred.
- And the opera?
- Lovely performance.
Very modern.
- Are you sure?
- Yes.
Yeah, the two of them
seemed almost, um, intimate.
I don't wanna cause any
trouble for a colleague,
it's just if Fred's
parents were to find out.
- Ms. Novak is becoming a risk.
- I don't feel good about this.
After all, Fred's
parents are abroad.
She only tried to
comfort the boy.
- Do you think Ms. Novak
will hold it against us?
- I deeply regret
what has occurred.
After all, Ms.
Novak was appointed
on the initiative of
the parents' board.
But I would like to point out
that Ms. Novak, undoubtedly,
is a pioneer in her field.
But it appears that
she has transgressed
one of the fundamental
rules of our establishment:
That it is forbidden
for teaching staff
to associate with
pupils in private.
Ms. Novak invited a
pupil to the theater.
- The opera. They
went to the opera.
- Oh. Excuse me.
So, Ms. Novak invited the
pupil in question to the opera.
- We must on no account
be somehow lenient,
simply because we were the ones
who brought Ms. Novak
into the school.
- The name of the
pupil in question
should not be made known.
But for us parents,
that virtually means that
it could be any child.
Mine.
Or yours.
Or yours.
- Anyway, going to
the theater together,
or the opera,
is the only instance of
misconduct that we know about.
Who can say what else may
have happened in secret?
- Exactly.
- Yeah.
I'm in favor of dismissing
Ms. Novak immediately.
- As am I.
- Please, let's
not get agitated.
The incident in question
might also be seen
as a minor mistake.
And Ms. Novak seems to be a
dedicated teacher after all.
So if any of you wants
to make a statement
in favor of Ms. Novak,
please raise your hand now.
Very well, then.
I yield to the majority's
demand.
We come to our next question:
The acquisition of new
chairs for the music room.
- It must be a mistake.
I do everything to
support these children.
And they are making
great progress right now.
You have to take this
into consideration.
- Ms. Novak,
I like you.
Your enthusiasm has been an
inspiration to all of us.
And who will take
over your weekends?
But associating with a pupil
in private is not permitted.
And we simply can't afford
to have dissatisfied parents.
They pay a lot of
money for this school,
and they expect
not to be bothered.
I'm so sorry.
- I heard she went
to visit a pupil in his home.
- Really?
The way I heard it, she
took him to the theater.
- She doesn't
have a family of her own.
The children are her whole life.
- Maybe she
can't have her own children.
- She forced the
kids to starve themselves.
Elsa became bulimic.
- I don't know, Elsa's
always been bulimic.
But Ragna? Soon she'll be
too light for the trampoline.
- Poor girl.
- If I cannot be
Ms. Novak, who am I?
Who sees me here?
Nobody.
Nobody knows I can do it.
That I really can do it.
Look here.
Look at me.
Why have you forsaken
me, Almighty Mother?
I beg you, give me a sign.
You still believe
in me, don't you?
- I always will.
- That's enough!
Eat the damn sausage.
Eat it!
- Please.
Forgive me.
I'm so sorry.
- I'm not hungry.
I don't need to eat.
It's a miracle.
- No, it's not.
It's a disaster.
- I just wanted to tell you,
I know how important
Ms. Novak was to you.
And I want you to know
that I tried to defend her.
- Can't you see
I'm busy right now?
- You don't have to punish me
by continuing to refuse food.
- This isn't about you.
Stop manipulating me.
I'm not your puppet.
- Elsa, dear?
We brought you some lunch.
- I will not eat.
- But why?
- The way we produce
and consume food today
is deeply harmful
for us as a species.
Food production destroys
our environment,
and the vast number of
additives destroys our bodies.
The reason for our
nutritional behavior today
is a commercial one.
More and more people have
to eat more and more food,
so the food industry
makes more and more money,
and this makes
people not only sick
but also dependent
on the conditions of
their social status.
Those who can live
without food are free
from all social and
commercial pressure,
thus, we are threatening
the capitalist system.
This will be
politically explosive.
- Yes, but, honey, what
if it only works briefly,
but then you suffer
from malnutrition?
And you can even die.
- Maybe you
need to consider
that what you think is true
might not be true after all.
- Well, it is true
that you need to eat.
- No. It's not true, Dad.
By my mere willpower,
I can alter this truth.
By the power of my mind,
I can alter reality.
For instance,
if I wanted you to get
cancer, Mum, you'd get cancer.
- Okay, don't say
that. That's not nice.
- Or if I wanted it to
rain this afternoon,
it will rain.
- Do you think I
will get cancer now?
- That would be a pretty
unfortunate coincidence.
Elsa, open the door now.
- It's open.
- Oh, God.
Look, Larry.
She's eaten.
- Eating is purely
a matter of belief.
If we believed we
were to eat vomit,
people would do that.
- Elsa,
what do you want us to do?
- There is only one person
who could change my mind.
- Yeah?
- Ms. Novak.
- Who the fuck is Ms. Novak?
- It's her nutrition teacher.
Yes?
- Hi.
- How can I help you?
- I'm- I'm one of
the parents here.
Thank you.
Oh. Right.
Thank you.
- Oh, hi!
- Hello.
- How are you?
- I'm good.
This is Ben's mother,
this is Ragna's father.
- Nice to meet you.
- Paul Schmidt.
- Jenny.
- Ragna hasn't eaten
anything for days.
If she carries on like this...
- Well,
we- we hope that Ms. Novak
is willing to help us.
- What?
But it's all her fault.
Or else why would she
have been expelled?
- The parents' board had a very
difficult decision to make.
It had nothing to do with
questioning Ms. Novak's
competence as a
nutrition teacher.
She was expelled for
completely different reasons.
- She took one
pupil to the opera.
- No, the theater.
They went to the theater.
- Yes, and the question
we should allow
ourselves to ask is,
did it ever harm any
pupil to visit the opera?
Or the theater?
- We were shocked to see how
easy the future of a woman
like Ms. Novak was destroyed.
She devoted her life
to our children,
and we just put her
out on the street.
- Can't you see
what's going on here?
She was the one who
made our children
stop eating in the first place.
- I think I know what you mean.
Our children were
inspired by her lessons,
but then they took it too far.
- We cannot trust her.
- What Gretchen is trying to say
is that Ms. Novak
didn't mean any harm.
We should trust her.
- If she doesn't
cooperate, we'll sue her.
- Even if
it's Ms. Novak's fault,
she's the only person
who can convince our Elsa
to start eating again.
We have to trust her
because we need her.
No, thank you.
- Well,
we don't want to keep
your parents waiting,
so let's start.
Where's Helen?
- Oh. Skiing in Switzerland.
- What a pity.
- I feel stronger
than ever before.
- I feel completely free.
I have absolute control
over my body and my mind.
- I've only now just realized
how brainwashed I actually
was before.
How much I depended on what
other people expected from me.
Especially my mother.
But I can see clearly now.
I now know my mother
suffers, herself,
from the pressures
of our society,
and that basically
it's not her fault
that she passes this
pressure on to me,
but I'm- I'm willing to
liberate myself from it.
- I...
I didn't think it
would work for me.
Somehow, I just wasn't
ready to believe in it.
But now I
know I can do it.
My faith is stronger than ever.
- It has
become very clear now.
There is no going back.
It is not possible for you
to live with the expectations
and pressures of those
who are so close to you.
They would force you
to live like them
and finally to perish with them.
Is that what you want?
Well, then,
I hereby declare you
members of Club Zero.
I congratulate you.
You have been chosen to
follow the great path
that leads us from our
transitory existence
to eternal life.
We will be saved.
- I've been thinking,
I won't come to Ghana next year.
You were right.
I'm sure it'd be better
for me to stay here
because of school.
- And because of the climate.
You know-
- I know.
- It's a good decision, Fred.
- We say goodbye now, darling.
Our guests have arrived.
Merry Christmas to you.
- Thank you, Mum.
You too.
I love you all.
Goodbye.
- Merry Christmas, guys.
- Merry Christmas, love.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Fred.
- Is that for me?
- Yes, love!
- Thank you.
- I will always love you.
- Please,
not too much, Dad.
My body needs to get used
to food again slowly.
- As
you wish, my dearest.
Bon appetit.
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
- It's been ages since
I've eaten that.
- You don't have
to finish it, Elsa.
I wouldn't want
you to feel sick.
- Thanks, Dad.
- I was so
afraid of losing Elsa.
- I know.
- Now, we'll be fine, right?
- Yeah. We will.
Stop driving yourself crazy.
Everything is gonna be fine.
I'm sure.
- Miss Elsa?
Time to get up.
- Darling?
- "You mustn't
try to find me."
- "And please,
Mum, don't be too sad.
"I am much better now."
- "I am in a better place.
"In a better world.
"Forever.
"I love you too.
"Ben."
- "And please,
no need to feel guilty.
"I am much better now.
I am in a better place.
"In a better world.
"Forever.
"It is not your fault.
"Ragna."
- I feel so sorry for you.
It seems so unfair.
Just because we were
skiing in Switzerland,
our Helen was saved.
- Helen.
Why we asked for this meeting,
what we would all
like to know is...
I'm sorry, it is very hard
for me to speak about this.
- What we wanna ask you, Helen:
Why?
- Why?
Isn't that obvious?
- No, not at all.
- Please, be gentle with Helen.
She's suffered a severe trauma,
having lost her classmates.
- We've lost our children.
- We don't know that.
It's still possible that
they're alive somewhere.
- Of course, they're
still alive somewhere.
It's us who is going to perish,
do you still not get it?
- Well, perhaps it would help
if we also tried to stop eating.
Then maybe we would understand.
- Certainly.
But you'd need to have faith.