I felt a great deal of distress after watching “The Zone of Interest,” a haunting, gorgeously directed film from Jonathan Glazer. Based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, the film explores the horror of the Holocaust not by focusing on the millions of victims, but showing the perspective of the perpetrators. It’s an extremely challenging piece of cinema considering the subject matter, experimental style, and detached, observational point of view.
The story explores the family life of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), who strive to be a dream life for themselves and their children in an idyllic home and garden that sits next to the camp. They have a spacious house with beautifully manicured landscaping, a backyard swimming pool, and even a beloved family dog. Rudolf enjoys taking his brood out fishing, reads them bedtime stories, and embraces his role as a loving father and husband. He’s kind to animals and kids, and he leaves for work every day to earn money for the family. Glazer shows the human side of a murderous Nazi who is complicit in acts of pure evil, and taking a look at the family life within the walls of the man’s home is what proves to be especially disturbing.
The normalcy here is what’s so upsetting, especially within the confines of Rudolf’s yard and home. What’s happening steps outside their comfortable, isolated habitat is absolutely horrific. Glazer turns things up a notch with his use of sound, as the faint sounds of gunshots and human screams that can be heard in the background continue to grow louder and more frequent as the film progresses. It’s a reminder of the suffering that’s happening outside the walls of the Höss family home, and it’s absolutely spine-chilling.
The film is visually mesmerizing too, with stunning framing and composition that feels carefully orchestrated. Glazer includes shots of billowing smoke from nearby chimneys, lending a sense of brutality and horror that’s highly disturbing and unforgettable.
Everything about “The Zone of Interest” is unsettling and horrific, and it’s one of the most bold and daring films of the year.
