The award-winning movie The Zone of Interest is now available on OTT in India and can be streamed on Prime Video. This historical drama film was a collaborative effort between the UK, US, and Poland in 2023, with Jonathan Glazer serving as both the writer and director. Based on Martin Amis’s 2014 novel, the film depicts the story of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig, who live in a house in the “Zone of Interest” near the slave camp. Christian Friedel portrays Rudolf Höss, while Sandra Hüller takes on the role of Hedwig Höss.
Glazer chose to center his attention on the Hösses as a family rather than the characters they influenced, delving extensively into their background to craft a movie that would expose the Holocaust perpetrators as truly being mythically evil. The critical response was favorable, with numerous critics commending Glazer for the film’s innovative narrative, understated musical score, cinematography, sound design, and atmosphere. The Zone of Interest was recognized with nominations in five categories at the 96th Academy Awards, such as Best Picture. It secured two awards: Best International Feature (a first for a non-English British film) and Best Sound. The film also received three Golden Globe nominations, won the Grand Prix at Cannes, and took home three BAFTAs, including Best Film Not in the English Language. The National Board of Review also named it one of the top five foreign films of 2023.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas coincided with the premiere of the film. During the 96th Academy Awards, Glazer used his acceptance speech to speak out against the dehumanization depicted in The Zone of Interest. He emphasized that there are individuals who refuse to allow their Jewish identity and the Holocaust to be exploited by an occupying force, leading to conflict and suffering for innocent people. As a Jewish individual, he expressed his disapproval by recognizing the dehumanization of the “victims of October 7th in Israel” and “the ongoing attack on Gaza.”
