The Zone of Interest has officially been given a release date for December 8th, 2023, via A24.
The Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin) directed project will hit theaters nearly six months after its rapturous debut at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was praised for harrowing subject matter and slick visual design. Although The Zone of Interest ultimately lost to Anatomy of a Fall for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, many walked away noting the former as one of the noteworthy releases thus far in 2023.
The Zone of Interest plot description, via Letterboxd, reads: “The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.”
I imagine the movie will be quite scathing and unsettling as a drama, considering both that short summary and Glazer’s past interests. As is the case with many movie releases right now, the release date for The Zone of Interest could always be moved with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike and considering that December is usually a rather crowded month at the cinema.
Nevertheless, I’ve been excited to see The Zone of Interest ever since Cannes. Jonathan Glazer’s movies usually tighten around you as you dig further into them, and I imagine this will be no different. He makes depressing, slightly abstract and idiosyncratic portraits of life. This feels so consistent with that common vision.
The Zone of Interest stars Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller and Medusa Knopf.
