Ronit J

The Zone of Interest (2023) Synopsis:

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.

The Zone of Interest (2023) Review:

Did you see the New York Times’ Best 100 films of the 21st Century list? Turns out, I’ve seen 72 of those. And with only 28 left to watch, I felt an itch to complete that list. Of those 28, the one that I felt in the mood for was this acclaimed historical drama. So, here we are.

The film opens with a blank screen. For the first couple of minutes, we don’t see anything. We do hear whispers and sounds for a while, before cutting to a lush riverside where a family is picnicking. Soon, they pack up and begin walking back. It becomes apparent that they are within the Zone of Interest. The family belongs to the Nazi Party, and their house stands right next to the most infamous concentration camp in human history—Auschwitz.

Looking back, the film plays out like any normal family drama film would. Its events are ordinary and domestic. But the fact that these ‘normal’ events play out while a genocide is happening just across the fence is what makes this film an uncomfortable watch. And a damn compelling one at that.

A Fly on the Wall

The first thing I thought of when watching the Zone of Interest was, ‘this is a companion piece to Son of Saul (2015)’. And I’ll explain why in a bit.

The first thing that stands out in The Zone of Interest is the lack of close-ups. Every frame is a painting. A landscape, a wide shot of still life, maybe perfectly framed mid-shots. But no close-ups. The film doesn’t want you to feel for these characters; the film wants you to engage with them as you would a test subject. And the framing plays a huge role in achieving that.

Remember I mentioned the 2015 film, Son of Saul? That film is exclusively close-ups and mid-shots. The film immerses you in the face of inhuman treatment from the perspective of Jewish prisoners in the concentration camp. Conversely, the Zone of Interest shows you the prim and proper life of Hedwig Höss (Sandra Hüller), wife of Sonderkommando Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel).

This family lives with forced obliviousness towards the atrocities that transpire just across the fence. Often the film shows domestic conversations just as gunshots echo in the background. Screams, shouts, gunshots, the family ignores it all like you and I would the incessant honking of a passing car on our street.

With its beautiful framing and masterful camera-work, The Zone of Interest paints the lives of Nazis as humans. After all, evil exists because normal people support it, turning a blind eye to all its malicious acts. Honestly, none of them are inherently cruel, save for their indoctrinated racist beliefs against the Jews.

To present such a complex and unsettling picture with beauty and finesse is a herculean task that the makers of the Zone of Interest have achieved with excellence.

Complacency & Moral Responsibilities

The Zone of Interest asks some very pertinent questions. Was the Höss family complacent? Could you blame Sandra and the kids for the atrocities that they ignored? Silence in the face of atrocities sounds as loud as voices screaming in favour of them. And The Zone of Interest illustrates that very idea brilliantly through its fly-on-the-wall approach.

Sandra isn’t a bad person. She’s not the one gunning down escaping prisoners or pushing people into gas chambers. But in complying with these atrocities, turning a blind eye in favour of the beauty that she’s nurtured within her home, it’s hard not to blame her. After all, what kind of person could live sharing a fence with such a genocide, and pretend like nothing is happening?

Likewise, we see Rudolf’s life unfold as the primary breadwinner of the family. He’s a kind man who loves his wife, his kids, as well as their dog. In a later scene, we even see him talk to another dog owner with genuine interest and affection. Yet, he is more actively involved in the deaths that take place within the concentration camp.

Could kindness and character really pardon his complacency? Is ‘ I was just doing my job’ a valid argument for acquittal? Irrespective of what you believe in, a large part of the blame behind the holocaust has to go to the people who didn’t speak up. Your abstinence from speaking at all is as good as speaking passionately in favour of the atrocitie.

The Zone of Interest (2023) Ending Explained (SPOILERS)

As Rudolf walks down the stairs of his office building after attending a celebration, he begins to retch. A literal depiction of his downward spiral as the moral dilemma of his very being catches up to him. This is also a natural next step to his health issues that a previous scene hinted at. Indirectly, the film points out that Rudolf could be suffering on the inside because of his very cruel involvement in the genocide.

As this plays out, we cut to the present day. The cleaning staff at the Auschwitz museum opens the place up in the morning, walking through the memorabilia of this monstrous event and keeping everything clean and accessible. This scene really hit me hard. Irrespective of the Höss’ internal struggle, the Jews suffered during the holocaust. To be blunt, regretting complacency did nothing to protect the many who died horrible deaths. And history remembers those horrors, not the regret of the complacent.

Additionally, in showing the cleaning staff, the film stresses the importance of preserving such memories. A reminder of how low humanity can stoop when left unchecked. A pertinent question for today’s day and age, where genocide and war continue to plague the lives of many, while countless more move on with their own lives.

Are we complacent?

To present a story like this in today’s political climate is a bold move that I wholeheartedly support.

What were those Black-and-White Scenes?

While it’s not overtly explained, here’s my interpretation of those scenes:

Shot with thermal imaging, we see a girl going around the camp at night, placing food and supplies for the prisoners. While the rest of the film is beautiful, the film portrays this human act with a horror-like treatment. Because, at the time it would be considered a crime. This ugly truth makes itself apparent intermittently beautifully breaks the facade of normalcy, reminding you that the horrors aren’t just all in the background. There were many within the facade of normalcy who tried to do something.

Is The Zone of Interest (2023) worth watching?

Yes. But, with a few conditions applied. Honestly, his film is not for everyone.

While the film is beautiful and layered, it is more artsy than your average entertainer. In fact, some might find this film too indulgent and slow. However, I found it poignant and immersive. The fly-on-the-wall approach particularly made me appreciate the nuances of normalcy that the filmmaker presents us with. Even our characters know of the genocide outside their homes; they just turn a blind eye to it because it’s easier to live in their comfortable bubble of ignorance.

I wonder what this is a commentary about…?

In Conclusion:

The Zone of Interest (2023) is a beautiful film about one of the ugliest chapters of human history. The dissonance of our primary characters’ lives and conflicts with the atrocities that transpire in their immediate background makes for a compelling watch.

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