The Zero Hour

The Zero Hour is a 2010 Venezuelan action film directed by Diego Velasco that takes place during a medical strike in Venezuela. Synopsis In Caracas in 1996, a medical strike takes place. Parca (Zapata 666), a self-described Grim reaper and regular sicario, brings a pregnant injured woman (Amanda Key) to his gang; the locals are unsympathetic to the doctors' reasons for strike and kidnap a doctor (Erich Wildpret) from the picket line, but the child is born in the back of a car. Witnessing this, Parca becomes invested in helping the needy, holding-up a private hospital and taking hostages to release in return for treatment of those from the slums. Eventually, this violent scheme collapses on him and the people around him. Production The production mimicked the story of the film, facing troubles involving the kidnap of three crew members, including its co-producer, director Velasco being held-up at gunpoint, and the assassination of an actor shortly before recording his parts. Despite the themes, a co-writer said that they "want viewers to digest and interpret the movie’s ideas, not to put ideas in their heads". By 2016, it was the highest-grossing Venezuelan national film, getting $3.5 million in box office takings in Venezuela.