An interactive graphic novel takes the reader on a personalized journey through a compelling story/thriller about the plight of Albinos in Africa, while an online documentary platform showcases real-world footage, facts, interviews and other relatable content.
Set on a business trip to Tanzania, a restless Afro-American financier, WALTER, is confronted with the horror of the lives of Albinos, persecuted and murdered by sorcery networks. His path will cross that of BADU, a 10 years old child, hunted like an animal because of the color of his skin. Called to choose between indifference and action, he’ll see his routine trip soon turn into a terrifying nightmare.
ZERU is a dark and suspenseful thriller, a merciless hunt that reveals the full horror of a situation rarely tackled by the media.
Read the full synopsisIn Swahili, ZERU means “ghost-like”. This story is based on the monstrous situation that persons with albinism face everyday in many African countries, mostly in Tanzania and the countries surrounding Lake Victoria. Perceived as merely human by the majority, albinos end up exposed to the worst treatments. Hunted down, they suffer fear, mutilations, and very often death.
Their body parts are sold at high prices through secretive and complex sorcery networks. The clients of that horrifying trade are convinced that owning fragments of albino bodies will bring them prosperity and good fortune. The fate of the Albino in this part of the world is an insult to the entire mankind.
The Zeru transmedia project includes two components:
As each user reads the interactive graphic novel, a specific documentary film will be created in sync with their particular journey through the story. As the plot develops , the user will be able to select different interactive elements within the images. These elements will not distract or interfere with the reading experience, rather they will serve as a kind of reading list, a bit like bookmarks.
Presentation of Zeru at Visions du Réel, Nyon, as part of the i_doc workshop (a project development programme for expanded documentaries). http://www.visionsdureel.ch/…
Today we are launching this brand new website for Zeru! This web presence was lovingly crafted by Manuel Schmalstieg, using the highly…
Together with Dan Wechsler of Bord Cadre films, we where presenting ZERU at the Pixel Market at Power to the Pixel 2013…
Where: Power to the Pixel’s 6th Cross-Media Forum in London Power to the Pixel (PttP) supports a prize for one producer graduating…
Any questions? Just ask!
