The Zone of Interest
The Zone of Interest is a 2023 British historical drama film written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, loosely inspired by Martin Amis's 2014 novel of the same name. Set in 1943, it centers on Rudolf Höss, the real-life commandant of Auschwitz, and his wife Hedwig as they establish a seemingly serene family life in a villa and garden abutting the concentration camp, amid the pervasive sounds of distant atrocities.[1][2][3] The film eschews conventional narrative drama and on-screen violence, instead employing static cinematography, meticulous historical reconstruction, and an immersive sound design to convey the psychological compartmentalization of its protagonists—their mundane routines, ambitions, and interpersonal tensions proceeding in willful ignorance of the industrial-scale extermination occurring beyond their garden wall.[4][5] Produced on a $15 million budget, it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, where Glazer received the Grand Prix, and went on to gross over $52 million worldwide, achieving commercial success relative to its scale through limited theatrical releases and awards momentum.[6][7] Critically acclaimed for its unflinching examination of bureaucratic detachment and the normalization of evil—echoing themes of moral blindness—it earned a 93% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise focused on its technical achievements, particularly the sound editing that amplifies unseen horrors through ambient noises like screams, gunfire, and crematoria operations.[8][4] At the 96th Academy Awards, it secured wins for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound, alongside nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress for Sandra Hüller's portrayal of Hedwig Höss, marking it as a rare arthouse entry in major contention.[9][10] However, the film has sparked debate over its representational choices, including the deliberate absence of Jewish victims or camp interiors on screen, which some critics argue dilutes the Holocaust's visceral reality into abstraction, potentially aestheticizing suffering without direct confrontation.[11][12] This approach, while lauded by others for forcing viewers to infer atrocities through implication, drew sharper controversy following Glazer's Oscar acceptance speech, where he invoked the film as a caution against dehumanization in both historical and contemporary contexts, prompting accusations of politicizing the Shoah and rebuttals from filmmakers decrying it as morally equivocal.[13][14] In Germany, reception has been particularly polarized, with some viewing its focus on perpetrator domesticity as evasive or insufficiently condemnatory.[14]Synopsis
Plot Summary
The film opens with Rudolf Höss, commandant of Auschwitz, and his wife Hedwig enjoying a leisurely picnic by a river with their five children, engaging in playful activities amid a serene natural setting.[15] The narrative then shifts to their family life in a spacious villa and expansive garden directly adjacent to the Auschwitz camp perimeter, where they cultivate flowers, maintain a swimming pool, and host luncheons with other Nazi officials and wives.[15][16] Daily routines include Höss commuting to the camp by horse, reading bedtime stories to his daughters, and discussing operational efficiencies—such as crematoria upgrades and prisoner selections—over family meals, all while distant sounds of gunfire, screams, and machinery underscore the unseen violence.[16] Hedwig oversees household staff, including Polish domestic workers, and takes pride in her "paradise garden," unknowingly fertilized by human ashes from the camp; she tries on a fur coat and applies lipstick pilfered from Jewish victims' belongings delivered in packages.[16] The children participate in everyday play, with the eldest son scavenging and toying with gold teeth extracted from deceased prisoners during a nighttime raid near the camp perimeter, while younger ones attend school and frolic in the yard oblivious to or desensitized by the pervasive smoke and odors.[16] Tensions emerge during a visit from Hedwig's mother, who initially admires the home but departs abruptly after being awakened by anguished cries and the stench of burning flesh wafting from the camp.[16] Höss's professional ascent culminates in a promotion to direct the expansion of extermination operations across multiple sites, necessitating a transfer to Oranienburg, which strains the marriage as Hedwig insists on remaining with the children to preserve their "dream life."[15][16] The story closes with Höss, after a midnight meeting reviewing gas chamber plans and body disposal logistics, overcome by nausea and vomiting in his office, followed by contemporary footage of the now-empty Auschwitz site maintained as a museum.[16]Cast and Characters
The principal roles in The Zone of Interest are portrayed by Christian Friedel as Rudolf Höss, the Auschwitz commandant focused on administrative efficiency and career advancement, and Sandra Hüller as his wife Hedwig, who manages the household and garden adjacent to the camp.[7][17] Their five children are played by Johann Karthaus as the eldest son Claus (or Klaus), Luis Noah Witte as Hans, Nele Ahrensmeier as Inge-Brigitt, Lilli Falk as Brigitte, and Anastazja Drobniak as Annagret.[18] Supporting characters include Medusa Knopf as the housemaid Elfryda, who interacts with the family amid the camp's proximity, and Daniel Holzberg as Gerhard Maurer, a subordinate officer.[17][18] Other notable roles feature Imogen Kogge as Hedwig's mother Lina Haupt, who visits the household, and Sascha Maaz in a minor capacity.[18] The casting emphasizes German actors to maintain authenticity in depicting the historical figures' domestic life.[17]| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Christian Friedel | Rudolf Höss |
| Sandra Hüller | Hedwig Höss |
| Johann Karthaus | Claus Höss |
| Luis Noah Witte | Hans Höss |
| Nele Ahrensmeier | Inge-Brigitt Höss |
| Medusa Knopf | Elfryda |
| Daniel Holzberg | Gerhard Maurer |