Zone of interest

Zone of Interest (2023) is a confronting film that deliberately avoids providing a pleasurable experience for its audience.

From its very premise, the film revolves around a significant contrast and numerous smaller ones, all originating from and contributing to its central theme. The juxtaposition of a heavenly lifeconstructed by the family of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf H. right alongside the horrors of the camp sets the stage for these contrasts.

The film portrays the juxtaposition of serene imagery such as birds chirping in spring and a beautiful garden with the grim reality of camp stoves' flames and the screams of those being burned alive. It contrasts the green earth with the gray smoke billowing from the chimneys of the crematoria and the deep blue waters of the river with the gray stream carrying the remains of murdered Jews. Even the contrast between newborn children and stillborns adds to the chilling atmosphere.

The characters in the film undergo significant contrasts in their development. From humble origins to megalomania, from mundane household tasks to being dragged to the furnaces, from familial ties with Jewish maidservants to participating in the atrocities, each character embodies conflicting traits and experiences. The rationalized love union devoid of genuine affection, the calm demeanor of a commander with monstrous thoughts, and the blend of horror and curiosity in the face of atrocities depict the complexity of human behavior in such extreme circumstances.

The film engages the viewer by immersing them in the everyday life and routines of this family, gradually unsettling them as they become accustomed to the horrors depicted. Through various cinematic techniques, the film continuously reminds the viewer of their role as mere observers, challenging them to confront the uncomfortable truths presented on screen.

A significant aspect highlighted by the film is the responsibility and complicity of ordinary individuals, including family heads, in the commission of such atrocities. It underscores how seemingly mundane actions and desires contribute to the larger political landscape of the time.