Axinite Digicinema : WINNING THE WAR AGAINST ZOMBIES IN “GENERATION Z” [R13]

“Generation Z” (also known as The ReZort in other territories) introduces a new kind of recreation when humans have won the war against zombies. Considered as the ultimate therapeutic revenge, “Generation Z” brings humans face to face with zombies for a shooting spree in an exclusive island to release one’s rage after being deeply damaged by the zombie outbreak years back. Unbeknownst to them, this is a process where humanity is doomed to continuously repeat.


The audience enters a different world in “Generation Z” through Melanie (played by Jessica De Gouw), who is still reeling from her traumatic experience of losing her family during the zombie outbreak. On the verge of anger and revenge, Melanie’s repetitive nightmares haunt her. Desperate to help Melanie overcome her tragic past and save a relationship that’s crumbling under the pressure, Melanie’s boyfriend, Lewis (Martin McCann), books them a trip to the five-star ReZort. But just as Melanie prepares to face her demons, all hell breaks loose when a zombie- rights activist hacks into the park’s security system and uploads a virus which disables all security settings releasing thousands of zombies back into the wild. The ReZort experience just got real. Outnumbered and isolated, Melanie and the few remaining guests at The ReZort must work together to battle their way to safety. And the only way Melanie is going to get out of this alive is to face her worst nightmare head on.

Jessica De Gouw, who plays the protagonist Melanie sums it up as “a hybrid of genres. It is zombie horror in some respects, but it’s also more of an adventure and quest story than zombie films normally are with a very weighty truth about the human condition.” While The ReZort is an ensemble film, the role of Melanie is integral to the film as she is a conduit for the audience into this post-apocalyptic society: “She lost her dad during the war, so she’s on a path of discovery, it’s through her eyes that we go on this journey and navigate this world,” adds De Gouw. 

Such a layered role was a difficult one to portray, according to writer Paul Gerstenberger, “Her character is a tricky one to pull off as she’s someone who has a lot of demons and is damaged and broken in a lot of respects. The role required someone to portray that without coming across as simpering”. In rising star DeGouw, Gerstenberger feels they found that quality and more, “In many respects, Jessica as Melanie is a lot stronger than I imagined or hoped she would be.”

“I was a huge fan of Michael Crichton and his tech thrillers, like Jurassic Park and Westworld”, says Gerstenberger. ”So those were some of the influences in writing this. The parallels to both films are clear, in that The ReZort is set in a Safari Park on an island, where an environment is created for entertainment for visitors to interact with unnatural entities, but eventually become overrun by the inhabitants under containment.”

“Generation Z” is a slick and contemporary thrill ride offering a fresh twist on the zombie film genre but first and foremost it is fun and entertaining, made to appeal to a broad audience of film fans: “it has a great sense of escapism and entertainment” explains director Steve Barker. “When I first read the script I was immediately struck by the unique proposition presented by the concept itself. It was a brilliant read and great fun to bring about”.

“Generation Z” will finally open June 15 and will be released by Axinite Digicinema. 

 

 

Axinite Digicinema: ULTIMATE BLOOD SPORT IN “GENERATION Z” [R13]

Following a near apocalyptic zombie outbreak in “Generation Z” (aka “The ReZort”), humans now have the upper hand and life has returned to relative normality with only an occasional reminder or mention of recent horrific events. Most people wouldn’t even blink at seeing a zombie now. They know how to handle them. It’s no big deal because humans fought and won the battle and are in control again. 

 
“Generation Z” brings the latest craze in this post zombie-outbreak world is the Zombie Safari: it is the newest and coolest thing in adventure holidays – a chance to go out and shoot the undead in the wild. The ultimate test in action and adventure, the ultimate blood sport and, to many, the ultimate in therapeutic revenge. But unbeknownst to most that go on Zafari, the park is a highly controlled and monitored environment; a maze of concealed security cameras, restraints and barriers. The eyes and ears of trained security personnel are on the guests - and the zombies 24/7, always ensuring a safe shooting distance between the living and the zombies. Nothing is left to chance. Nothing is unplanned.

The zombie movie genre is a popular one, with examples ranging across the decades from George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead to the TV phenomenon The Walking Dead as well as more comedic interpretations like Life after Beth and parodies like Shaun of the Dead. However, screenwriter Paul Gerstenberger was inspired to do a film with a new take on the genre, setting the story in a world after the humans have won the war against the zombie apocalypse and exploring how humanity would recover after such a huge percentage of the population has been wiped out. Gerstenberger relates this to the years after World War II, where there was a generation who had lived through one of the most violent periods in human history with the irrecoverable aftermath on culture and the individual, juxtaposed with a younger generation born after the War, with no understanding of that reality or the lessons it held for society. According to Gerstenberger, the film explores the repetitive and cyclical nature of “man’s hubris. “We get overconfident, we ignore the risks and we get our comeuppance. And humanity is doomed to continuously repeat.”

Dougray Scott, who plays Archer in the film, says “It reminds me of one of those old Cowboy movies. So if we get it right, hopefully it will appeal to a wide audience”. Further, Scott describes his role as “a lone wolf, sort of the archetypal cowboy. He’s a very mysterious character who you don’t know why he’s there other than he’s good at shooting”. Unlike the “posh business men and screaming kids” populating the park around him, Archer goes on the zombie safaris to “let off steam” and so when the residents are unleashed, it falls to Archer to protect the group as more and more of his own story is revealed over the course of the film. He is also the first of the group to be aware that something has gone awry and that there might be a more sinister cause.

For Gerstenberger, Scott was the ideal Archer, “When people would ask who would be good for Archer, I had always imagined [he] would be perfect…. He’s one of those actors who can tell a story with his face, his eyes or an expression”.

 “Generation Z” is coming soon in cinemas from Axinite Digicinema.

FACE YOUR FEARS IN ZOMBIE THEME PARK IN “GENERATION Z” [R13]

Welcome to a vacation spot like no other in the horror-thriller “Generation Z,” (also known as “The ReZort”) where an unusual kind of theme park is created to entertain visitors interacting with zombies as its main attraction. But all hell breaks loose when a zombie- rights activist hacks into the park’s security system and uploads a virus which disables all security settings releasing thousands of zombies back into the wild. 

Directed by Steve Barker, the director was on the lookout for something new having worked extensively in the horror genre previously. A huge fan of zombie movies, Barker, was drawn to the possibilities offered by “Generation Z’s” script: “Zombie movies are always now set in an apocalyptic world – this script fascinated me because we had won and this was something that I hadn’t seen before. It’s not a traditional film but a throwback to the movies that I loved; John Carpenter movies, where you weren’t tied to just one genre.”

“Generation Z” is written by Paul Gerstenberger who is also a fan of acclaimed author Michael Crichton, was inspired to do a film with a new take on the genre, setting the story in a world after the humans have won the war against the zombie apocalypse. He further explored how humanity would recover after such a huge percentage of the population has been wiped out. “I was a huge fan of Michael Crichton and his tech thrillers, like Jurassic Park and Westworld”, says Gerstenberger. ”So those were some of the influences in writing this.” According to Gerstenberger, the film explores the repetitive and cyclical nature of “man’s hubris.”

Finding the perfect location was crucial in conveying the fragile luxury of the post-apocalyptic world. Mallorca offered an incredible range of possibilities from hidden valleys to mountain retreats. Mallorca also lent itself well to the island aesthetics devised by Barker and the various Heads of Department: “we were after something that felt seductive and sleek. We wanted audiences to see the island as the island would want you to see it; something that felt very alluring and enticing” which was very doable on such a beautiful island.

“Generation Z” is a slick and contemporary thrill ride offering a fresh twist on the zombie film genre but first and foremost it is fun and entertaining, made to appeal to a broad audience of film fans: “It has a great sense of escapism and entertainment” explains Barker. “When I first read the script I was immediately struck by the unique proposition presented by the concept itself. It was a brilliant read and great fun to bring about”.

“Generation Z” coming soon in local cinemas nationwide from Axinite Digicinema.

Check out the film’s trailer here: https://youtu.be/Wn_HuzZvLlg