GO AND LISTEN: Jonathan Glazer’s film “The Zone of Interest” (2023). Anna Medvedovskaya’s conversation with Yohanan Petrovsky-Stern

Abstract

“The Zone of Interest” is a dramatic feature film written and directed by Jonathan Glazer. The film is based on the novel of the same name by British writer Martin Amis (2014), which tells the story of a family living near a concentration camp during World War II. They are the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife, Hedwig. They try to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp where people are dying. The film was shot at the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz during 2021–2022. The film was a co-production of the United States, Great Britain, and Poland. The film premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2023, and received critical acclaim, winning the Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI Prize, as well as two Oscars in 2024.