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An idilic scene of a forest and a lake. A family lounges on the shore nearby, while some swim.

The Zone of Interest

  Jonathan Glazer

  United Kingdom, Poland, United States     105 minutes

Synopsis

The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig strive to build a dream life for their family in a house next to the camp. The two play host to all manner of guests, tend to a lavish garden, and take in the surrounding natural beauty, all the while the horrors of the Holocaust rage just beyond their garden wall. As the war nears its end, Hedwig refuses to abandon her “idyllic” homelife, while her husband works to further distinguish himself among the Nazi rank-and-file, both existing in a state of moral squalor and permanent denial.

Scathing, incisive, and unforgettable, The Zone of Interest is a masterpiece of the medium. Crafted with exacting precision by visionary director Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin), the film poses timely questions and uncovers uncomfortable truths about the banality of evil and humanity’s capacity for willful ignorance.

 German with subtitles 

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Film Credits

  •   James Wilson, Ewa Puszczyńska
  •   Jonathan Glazer
  •   Paul Watts
  •   Łukasz Żal
  •   Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller
  •   Mica Levi