One of the most talked about films of 2023 was “The Zone of Interest,” an intense Holocaust drama told from an entirely unique perspective by filmmaker Jonathan Glazer. While “Zone of Interest” is an A24 film, it’s a deeply serious piece of work that was handled with care by the studio – given the subject matter, a marketing blitz on how upsetting or harrowing the film is a la “Midsommar” or “The Witch” would feel out of step.
But now that “The Zone of Interest” has won the Best International Film and Best Sound Oscars (and put Glazer in the hot seat for his acceptance speech that directly referenced the Israel-Hamas war), many may be wondering how and where to watch it.
When did “The Zone of Interest” come out?
The film premiered back in May 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix and FIPRESCI Prize. It was released in U.S. theaters on Dec. 15.
Is “The Zone of Interest” streaming?
The film is not yet available for streaming, but is available to purchase on Digital from retailers like Apple.
Since it’s an A24 film, it will eventually be streaming on Max as part of a new deal with the streamer.
Is “The Zone of Interest” still in theaters?
Yes, the film is still playing in some theaters. Check your local listings.
What is “The Zone of Interest” about?
The official synopsis for the film, which is loosely based on the novel by Martin Amis, is as follows: “The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.”
But the movie is presented in a unique manner. In an effort to drill down the mundanity of the Nazis’ lives, Glazer set up hidden cameras throughout the house and had his actors play out their scenes in full, with multiple scenes sometimes running at once. The harrowing sounds of the concentration camp flood in from next door, all the while this family goes about its business.
The filmmakers have said this is not a film about the past, but the present.
“I think that the film is trying to suggest that it’s not a mythical place,” producer James Wilson told TheWrap. “There isn’t a mythical evil in Auschwitz. The Holocaust didn’t just happen in Auschwitz. The Holocaust happened in all sorts of places. It happened there, it happened in Germany, it happened in France, it happened in Amsterdam, it happened in all sorts of places.”
Who’s in the “Zone of Interest” cast?
Christian Freidel and Sandra Hüller lead the film’s cast.
