The Zone of Interest
The movie, presented as a U.K. production but filmed in Poland and in the German language, secured five Academy Award nominations. These include a nomination for Best Picture, along with Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay recognitions for Jonathan Glazer. Additionally, the film received nods in the categories of Best International Feature Film and Best Sound.
The movie features Christian Friedel as Rudolf Höss and Sandra Hüller as his wife, Hedwig Höss. (Sandra Hüller, a German actress, is nominated for Best Actress this year for her role in another film, Anatomy of a Fall.) The cast also includes Freya Kreutzkam, Ralph Herforth, Max Beck, and Ralf Zillmann.
Friedel shared that portraying the real-life Nazi officer who oversaw Auschwitz during World War II was an "intense" experience. He revealed, "We were there for three months, in Oświęcim, next to the camp, next to the original house. I was visiting the camp for the first time, as a human and as an actor too, which was really intense." Friedel expressed the weight of responsibility towards the victims and the challenge of being a German in that place, given the historical context and the character he had to portray.
He recounted a moment in Krakow when he had a panic attack, realizing the darkness he was dealing with in portraying the character. "My body, like in the movie, reacts and says, 'There’s too much darkness inside of you. Be healthy. That’s not good.'"
"The Zone of Interest" is based on a book. The film is an adaptation of the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, directed by British director Jonathan Glazer. The story draws inspiration from the life of Nazi officer Rudolf Höss and his family.
Glazer, known for films like "Birth" (2004) and "Under the Skin" (2013), explained his motivation for making the film, stating, "The reason I made this film is to try to restate our close proximity to this terrible event that we think of as in the past." He expressed concern about the resurgence of right-wing populism and the proximity to the past that still exists.
The movie portrays the daily lives of Rudolf Höss, his wife Hedwig Höss, and their five children living near the Auschwitz concentration camp. It juxtaposes their mundane activities with the atrocities of the Holocaust happening just beyond the fence.
Director Jonathan Glazer emphasized the importance of both what is seen onscreen and what is heard, stating, "There are, in effect, two films: the one you see and the one you hear, and the second is just as important as the first, arguably more so." He explained the decision not to recreate imagery from the camps but to let the audience hear it, making it a powerful and violent experience.
As of now, the movie is playing in select theaters and will be available to stream on Max as part of a recently announced deal for A24 films.
This report has been revised and updated with additional information gathered from various sources.
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