The Zone of Interest (film)

For other uses, see The Zone of Interest (disambiguation).

The Zone of Interest
A red flower with a pitch black center.
U.S. theatrical release poster
Directed byJonathan Glazer
Written byJonathan Glazer
Based onThe Zone of Interest
by Martin Amis
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyŁukasz Żal
Edited byPaul Watts
Music byMica Levi
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • A24 (United States and United Kingdom)
  • Gutek Film (Poland)[1]
Release dates
  • 19 May 2023 (2023-05-19) (Cannes)
  • 15 December 2023 (2023-12-15) (United States)
  • 2 February 2024 (2024-02-02) (United Kingdom)
  • 9 February 2024 (2024-02-09) (Poland)
Running time
105 minutes[2]
Countries
Languages
  • German
  • Polish
  • Yiddish
Budget$15 million
Box office$52.8 million[6][7]

The Zone of Interest is a 2023 historical drama film written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, co-produced among the United Kingdom, the United States, and Poland. Loosely based on the 2014 novel by Martin Amis, the film focuses on the life of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife Hedwig, who live with their family in a home in the "Zone of Interest" next to the concentration camp. Christian Friedel stars as Rudolf Höss alongside Sandra Hüller as Hedwig Höss.[3]

Development of the film began in 2014 around the publication of the Amis novel, which is itself based partially on real events. Glazer opted to tell the story of the Hösses rather than the characters they inspired and conducted extensive research into the family, as he sought to make a film that demystifies the perpetrators of the Holocaust as "mythologically evil". The project was formally announced in 2019, with A24 confirmed to distribute the film. Filming took place primarily around the Auschwitz concentration camp in summer 2021. Additional filming took place in Jelenia Góra in January 2022.[8]

The Zone of Interest premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2023 and was theatrically released in the United States on 15 December 2023. The film received critical acclaim and grossed over $52 million with a $15 million budget. Among its accolades, The Zone of Interest received five nominations (including Best Picture) at the 96th Academy Awards, winning two: Best International Feature (the first for a non-English British film) and Best Sound.[9] The film also won the Grand Prix at Cannes and three British Academy Film Awards, including Best Film Not in the English Language;[10] received three nominations at the Golden Globe Awards; and was named one of the top five international films of 2023 by the National Board of Review.

  1. ^ Roxborough, Scott (26 May 2023). "Cannes: A24 Closes Worldwide Deals for Jonathan Glazer's 'The Zone of Interest'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  2. ^ "The Zone of Interest (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "THE ZONE OF INTEREST". Festival de Cannes. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ Vourlias, Christopher (19 May 2023). "Poles Share Their Souls With the World". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  5. ^ Film at Lincoln Center
  6. ^ "The Zone of Interest". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 31 March 2024.Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ "The Zone of Interest". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Jelenia_Góra was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "'Godzilla Minus One' Makes VFX Oscar History As Record Number Of Non-English Language Movies Take Home Oscar Statuettes". 11 March 2024.
  10. ^ "BAFTA Awards: Best Film Not In English For Auschwitz Drama 'The Zone Of Interest'". Outlook India. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.