Making a film about World War 2 in the 2020s seems like no easy feat. In 2023, though, one film managed to stand out.
Written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, The Zone of Interest explores the life of Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, and his family, who lived in a comfortable home near the camp. The film contrasts their seemingly idyllic domestic life with the horrors of the concentration camp happening just a short distance away, highlighting the chilling normalcy of the Holocaust to those behind the genocide.
It does not directly depict the violence of the camp but instead uses the sound design and the juxtaposition of scenes to create a haunting and disturbing experience for the viewer.
The film is loosely based on Martin Amis’s 2014 novel of the same name, and Glazer’s adaptation focuses on the family’s daily routines and their relationship with their surroundings, exploring the psychological impact of living in such a close proximity to the atrocities happening outside the walls of their home.
The film’s sound design is particularly impactful, with the sounds of the camp – such as screams and the whirring of machinery – constantly permeating the domestic scenes.
Those elements have cemented The Zone of Interest as an instant classic for some members of the audience.
“This film is truly a masterpiece. I’m sure we’ve all seen Holocaust movies that depicted scenes of horrible killing of men, women and children but this movie makes you imagine those scenes without having to show it”, writes one reviewer on Google Reviews.
“I believe the director wasn’t trying to humanize the Nazi family or pardon the Nazis in general for what happened to the millions of lives that were lost during Hitler’s reign, but it showed how brainwashed his followers were that everything they did seemed normal”.
They concluded the review by describing the film as “a masterpiece of a horror film that didn’t show the blood and guts of a traditional horror film, but one that forces you to visualize the horrors that happened at Auschwitz”.
Another fan commented: “This film absolutely floored me. It is at once both utterly pitiless in its focus, and yet has the feverish, half-remembered quality of a dream or a fairytale: Leaving the unspeakable horrors of the holocaust just outside the frame somehow making them even more nightmarish”.
The Zone of Interest features Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller as Rudolf and Hedwig Höss – the main characters – and grossed $52 million worldwide.
It got massive critical acclaim upon its release – Steven Spielberg called it the best film about the Holocaust since his own title Schindler’s List (1993), saying it’s “doing a lot of good work in raising awareness, especially about the banality of evil.” Alfonso Cuarón described it as “probably the most important film in this century.”
The Zone of Interest was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best International Feature Film and Best Sound. It won the latter two. It was also awarded with three BAFTAs and many festival circuit accolades.
The Zone of Interest (2023) is available to stream with an Amazon Prime membership.