‘Zone of interest’ contrasts horrors of the Holocaust with the family life of those responsible; g1 already seen

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Evil is one of the most natural things in the world at the premiere this Thursday (15), with five nominations for the 2024 Oscar, including best film and best direction. Of all the 10 best picture nominees at the 2024 Oscars, none provoke as much debate as “Zone of Interest” – and few are as good. The work premieres this Thursday (10) and explores with originality one of the most portrayed themes in world cinema by transforming the Nazi side of the Holocaust into a family soap opera. It is not difficult to empathize with anyone who does not understand the purpose of the film and its apparent trivialization of evil – even though the production actually won its five Hollywood Academy Award nominations (among them, direction, adapted screenplay and international film) at the same time. play with tired concept. “Zone of interest” is a triumph of absence. Without judgments, feelings or great complexity, it shocks by transforming such a well-known story and characters into something familiar. All with one of the saddest moments of humanity as a landscape. Watch the trailer for “Zone of Interest” Apparent perfection The script written by director Jonathan Glazer (“Under the Skin”) is inspired by a passage from the book of the same name written by Martin Amis. In less than two hours, it tells the fictional story of the real commander of the Auschwitz concentration camp, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), in search of the life of his dreams alongside his wife (Sandra Hüller) and his family in a beautiful house with a backyard and swimming pool. There is no threat to the Reich, no betrayals or major explosions. The tension is generated by the audience’s prior knowledge – and the coldness with which the film treats the atrocities committed on the other side of the wall of this perfect home. Parts and absences From the first second, Glazer announces that “Zone of Interest” will not be a normal film. The long sequence with a black screen and a tense (and intense) track provokes the viewer and explodes the contrast with the images of a family relaxing on the edge of a river. Scene from the film ‘Zone of Interest’ Disclosure The discomfort continues with the photography by Lukasz Zal (“Cold War”) and his open and fixed frames that keep the protagonists always distant. With them, it’s inevitable to feel like an observer at the zoo. Over time, it becomes clear how much “Zone of Interest” is an incredible sum of calculated parts and absences. The lack of a soundtrack in most of the film, for example, is replaced by ambient sounds – and screams of agony in the background. Glazer is not interested in showing the cause of this noise. Without underestimating the spectator’s intelligence, he knows very well that everyone can imagine where the groans of pain come from. Just like gunshots, or the rhythm of moving trains. Natural evil Friedel (“13 minutes”) and Hüller (nominated as best actress this year for “Anatomy of a Fall”) reproduce the naturalness desired by the filmmaker. Christian Friedel in a scene from ‘Zone of Interest’ Disclosure The result may not be as eye-catching as other works of the season, but both could and deserved to be remembered by the Academy. Unfortunately for them, many people cannot recognize performances without major arcs of transformation or complexity in the characters – and both protagonists are just what they are, without taking or adding, from the first scene to the last. Forget evolution or maturation or even outright villainy. The couple is like anyone else out there. He dreams of a perfect life, takes care of his children, argues about a transfer. With them, and with the power of their normality, they deliver the most powerful message of “Zone of Interest”. Sometimes evil is the most natural thing in the world. Sandra Hüller in a scene from ‘Zone of Interest’

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