The Zone Of Interest Trailer Presents The Most Disturbing Movie Of 2023
By all accounts, director Jonathan Glazer might just have another masterpiece on his hands. The upcoming "The Zone of Interest," based on author Martin Amis' 2014 novel of the same name, takes direct aim at the most horrifying and disturbing acts of evil ever chronicled in recorded history: the concentration camp of Auschwitz. Glazer, of course, has never shied away from shining a spotlight on the darker aspects of human nature, even expanding into the realm of sci-fi with his last feature directing effort in "Under the Skin." It's hard to believe that the filmmaker hasn't actually directed another feature since 2013, staying busy with various shorts and TV specials in the years since. Now, however, audiences are getting their first look at what's sure to be an incredibly difficult (but absolutely vital) watch.
A24 has released a new trailer for "The Zone of Interest," though it takes an understated approach to teasing the horrors lurking just beneath the surface — or, more accurately, just next door. In a notable departure from other World War II-set stories, the holocaust drama focuses on the Nazi in charge of the concentration camp and his family, living within spitting distance of the war crimes being committed in plain sight. Obviously, this always-sensitive subject matter is sure to take on a whole new layer of meaning in light of ongoing world events, serving as a stark reminder of the attempts at oppression and genocide that must never happen again.
Check out the new trailer above, which is full of praise from various critics who've seen the film out of the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year — including a pull quote from one of /Film's very own, in fact.
The Zone of Interest comes to theaters this December
"Brilliant," "masterpiece," and "devastating" are only a few of the overwhelmingly positive reactions rounded up in the trailer, though A24 saves the best for last. /Film's Lex Briscuso gets some love for her review, in which she confidently stated:
"Glazer's first feature film in ten years is a sick, bleak, and absolutely vital reimagining of the Holocaust drama, one that finds a new way — and possibly a more effective way — to put an important spotlight on the face of atrocities. There is always a lesson in the horrors of the real world, and Glazer's movie serves this one up on a silver platter, along with the severed head of our own potential apathy. There is absolutely no doubt this quiet film will go down in history as one of the definitive narratives of Holocaust fiction. Do not look away."
The footage only hints at the horrors at hand, focusing strictly on the seemingly idyllic domestic life of Nazi commandant Rudolf Höss and his family – though that choice somehow only makes the knowledge of what's happening so close to home hit even harder. "The Zone of Interest" stars Christian Friedel as Höss and Sandra Hüller as his wife Hedwig, along with Johann Karthaus, Nele Ahrensmeier, Lilli Falk, and Medusa Knopf. Writer and director Jonathan Glazer previously spoke about his approach to this film, remarking on the callous, indirect actions of those unaffected by such atrocities that tacitly allowed them to occur in the first place. "The Zone of Interest" comes to theaters in limited release on December 15, 2023.
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.