March Movie Pick: 'The Zone of Interest'

I had been eagerly anticipating watching this movie even before the Oscar nominations were announced. With five nominations, most of them in major categories, including two wins for 'Best International Feature' and 'Best Sound', it became a must-watch for me.

After careful consideration over the last 24 hours, I wholeheartedly agree with the nominations and wins. The movie took me right to the heart of a subject matter I've always been hesitant to confront – the Holocaust. Sometimes, despite the discomfort, it's necessary to engage with such historical atrocities to keep history alive and in check. However, this movie brought me face-to-face with it in a visceral way.

Visually, the movie is brutally realistic, but what truly sets it apart and makes it such a compelling watch is the sound design, for which it rightfully won an Oscar. Throughout the film, you hear screams, gunshots, and the sounds of people dying and burning, contrasting sharply with the sunny, charming life portrayed by Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife, Hedwig, whose home is situated next to the concentration camp.

The horror gradually unfolds through sound, sometimes evident on the faces of the characters, and at other times, more subtly implied. The casual conversations around the garden and home while people are burning, and the air is polluted with the particles emanating from the chambers of death, are carried masterfully by the Oscar-nominated German actress Sandra Hüller. Hüller, who has certainly made a name for herself with two features nominated in the 'Best Picture' category, was also nominated for 'Best Actress' for 'Anatomy of a Fall'. Although she didn't win the Oscar, her performance, propelled both movies to major Oscar wins, solidifying my admiration for Sandra Hüller.

I can't wait to see 'Anatomy of a Fall' after witnessing Hüller deliver such a menacing and subtly evil performance that shook me to the core. Her acknowledgment of her husband's actions as the commandant of the concentration camp, his orchestration of the chambers, and ensuring the death of more than 500 Jews every day, all delivered with such ease, made her character even more chilling. While her husband was undoubtedly a grotesque and horrific monster, her demeanor is what truly encapsulates what 'Zone of Interest' is about.

The movie's depiction of the Holocaust is incredibly realistic, portraying the horrors mainly through challenging our imagination with sound. However, there are also artistic shots depicting the girl leaving apples for the prisoners and the mother slowly realizing the Nazi delusion and horror they inflict before leaving the house without saying goodbye.

The film's powerful ending, offering a glimpse into the future with the failed Nazi mission and Rudolf Höss realizing the damage to his health due to his work at Auschwitz, underscores the stark contrast between visuals and sound and how people often close their eyes to horror.

This movie deserves all the recognition it has received, and A24, my favorite studio, has once again shown its prowess by sweeping another two Oscars. I've never seen a portrayal of the Holocaust quite like this one.

Iliya Badev