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The nominees for this year’s Best Picture range from intense depictions of violence on a large scale (Probable winner Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon), heartwrenching stories of human relationships (Past Lives, The Holdovers), biting commentaries on issues of race and gender (American Fiction, Poor Things), to the obligatory big-budget blockbuster (Barbie).
There is also The Zone of Interest, a film produced by Britain, Poland, and America and directed by Jonathan Glazer, which stands out in its own way. The plot is more of an immersive experience through observation rather than a traditional story. The characters are morally bankrupt, and the overall tone is blanched, rigid, and understated. Its strength lies in what is deliberately left out: the unseen but felt presence, the sounds of grunts, gunshots, and genocide, serving as an incessant background murmur. (The film also showcases remarkable sound design.)
This film presents a restrained yet brutal and efficient portrayal of the Holocaust through the story of a Nazi bureaucrat family living near the Auschwitz concentration camp. Despite their idyllic life and trivial concerns, the Höss family is separated from the atrocities by a high wall and a disturbing disconnect. The film has been commended for portraying the mundane nature of evil, as the characters are shown to compartmentalize, justify their actions, and ignore the horrors around them. Glazer effectively strips Hannah Arendt’s concept of cliches and emphasizes the disturbing reality that human beings have the ability to compartmentalize and ignore atrocities.
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Glazer’s project, along with several other 2023 films including All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt and The Taste of Things, challenges the plot-driven nature of mainstream cinema. The Zone of Interest, inspired by Martin Amis’s 2014 novel, prioritizes sensory experiences such as sight and sound, as well as imagined smells and temperatures. The dialogue is minimal and unremarkable, and the characters are enigmatic, carrying out mundane actions while facing evidence of the brutality occurring nearby. This film will change your perspective on ash. The truth of what is happening is not a secret – even the children are aware on some level. However, this information is either deemed irrelevant, unimportant, or unremarkable to them, as they are more concerned with their next meal.
Glazer separates from his family very rarely, particularly in the impactful and vague final scene that alludes to the present. According to AA Dowd’s review in Vulture, Höss’s vomiting does not signify a sudden pang of guilt, but rather an acknowledgment of one’s insignificance in the broader context of history. In a biting and thought-provoking manner, The Zone of Interest depicts the Holocaust as a mere task assigned to a mid-level manager, as described by Dowd. The chilling and memorable portrayal of sociopathic detachment and ambition to excel in one’s role as a murderer is unsettling.
The Oscars are more of a popularity contest rather than an acknowledgment of cinematic excellence. Despite its lack of graphic violence, The Zone of Interest is an exceptionally brutal and gut-wrenching film that may not garner the most votes. But if this was a moral vote, it would undoubtedly stand out for its powerful depiction of the worst of human nature. The Oscars, however, are meant to honor technical mastery, and in that sense, The Zone of Interest shines. Its impeccable execution, immersive experience, and bold perspective make it a deserving contender for recognition. It’s finally time for the Oscars to recognize one of the most daring films of the year, if not the most.
Source: theguardian.com
