Jonathan Glazer’s latest film, The Zone of Interest, delves into the terrifying realities that lurk behind a seemingly ordinary façade. It offers a chilling examination of the bureaucratic and moral blindness that allows such horrors to persist. Widely praised since its premiere at Cannes, it stands as one of 2024’s standout films, with five Oscar nominations and critical acclaim.
Unlike many Holocaust dramas that center on the victims, The Zone of Interest shifts the focus to the perpetrators. Echoing the Martin Amis novel it’s based on, the film eschews graphic violence, instead portraying the disturbing detachment of those committing heinous acts. This approach highlights the chilling ease with which individuals can disconnect from their own crimes.
Set against the backdrop of Auschwitz, the film follows a Nazi family—Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), a high-ranking official obsessed with perfecting mass murder, and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), who dedicates herself to maintaining a flawless home and family life. Their utter lack of moral awareness is strikingly depicted, underscoring the notion that monstrous behavior can be disturbingly mundane.
Glazer’s use of sound plays a crucial role, creating an omnipresent reminder of the camp’s horrors. Even as the family goes about their daily routines, the distant echoes of violence and despair persist. This auditory backdrop reinforces the ever-present, though unseen, suffering that the family willfully ignores.
The Zone of Interest : A Chilling Portrait of Indifference and Evil
The film’s minimalist approach to visuals further enhances its impact. Glazer’s choice to employ ten remote cameras, capturing the action from a hidden vantage point, results in a documentary-like detachment. This method, likened by Glazer to “Big Brother in the Nazi house,” ensures that viewers experience a profound separation from the characters, mirroring their own detachment from reality.
Despite the restrained filming style, the performances are striking. Sandra Hüller, also nominated for an Oscar for Anatomy of a Fall, delivers a chilling portrayal of coldness and cruelty. Her interactions with her children and her meticulous garden work stand in stark contrast to the horrors occurring just beyond her doorstep.
The Zone of Interest is a masterful cinematic experience, with Mica Levi’s unsettling score and Lukasz Zal’s starkly beautiful cinematography contributing to its power. Glazer’s meticulous approach ensures that there is no ambiguity about the characters’ moral failings, leading to a finale that reinforces the inescapable judgment of history and the revealing of their deep-seated inhumanity.
