The Zone of Interest

In its depiction of Commandant Höss and his family, The Zone of Interest confronts us with the everyday desires that can fuel genocide.

Hedwig Höss (Sandra Hüller) shows her baby a flower in the family garden in The Zone of Interest (A24).

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This post is part of the ‘One Take’ weekly series analysing the politics of a film currently showing at the cinemas.

Content warnings: Antisemitism; The Holocaust.

Note: Given that, at time of writing, The Zone of Interest is still showing in UK cinemas, this analysis only lays out as much of the film’s scenario as is necessary so as to avoid spoilers. It is therefore suitable to be read either before or after watching the film, while hopefully still enriching the viewer’s appreciation of it either way.