The Zone of Interest Trivia | 33 facts about the film

“The Zone of Interest” is the new Jonathan Glazer film and one of the best films of 2023.

So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about the film.

1. The Zone of Interest is a 2023 historical drama film
2. The film is written and directed by Jonathan Glazer
3. It is loosely based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Martin Amis
4. It is a co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Poland
5. The film centers on Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his wife as they strive to build a dream life next to the concentration camp
6. It stars Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller in the lead roles
7. The Zone of Interest premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 19 May 2023 to critical acclaim
8. Winning the Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI Prize
9. It was released in the United States on 15 December 2023
10. It will be released in the United Kingdom on 2 February 2024, by A24
11. And in Poland on 9 February 2024 by Gutek Film
12. It was named one of the top 5 international films of 2023 by the National Board of Review
13. It was selected as the British entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards
14. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 92% rating
15. Based on 159 reviews
16. With an average rating of 8.6/10
17. The website’s critics consensus states, “Dispassionately examining the ordinary existence of people complicit in horrific crimes, The Zone of Interest forces us to take a cold look at the mundanity behind an unforgivable brutality”
18. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 94 out of 100
19. Based on 28 critic reviews
20. Indicating “universal acclaim”
21. After his previous film Under the Skin, Glazer dedicated two years to reading extensively. During his visit to Auschwitz, he was affected by the residence of the commandant Rudolf Höss
22. Glazer collaborated with the Auschwitz Museum and other organisations
23. He obtained special permission to access the archives, where he examined testimonies provided by survivors and individuals who had been employed in the Höss household
24. By piecing together these testimonies, Glazer gradually constructed a detailed portrayal of the individuals connected to the events
25. Unlike the book it was inspired by, Glazer used the real people involved in the events rather than using fictional names to emphasise authenticity
26. The cinematography used cameras embedded around the set
27. Keeping the crew away and allowing the actors to improvise during filming
28. Violence is depicted without being overtly shown, creating a film that avoids graphic violence and “feels less exploitative”
29. Hüller’s real-life black Weimaraner dog played the dog Dilla in the film
30. Glazer confirmed development of the project in 2019, with A24, Film4 Productions, Access Entertainment and House Productions co-financing and producing
31. Principal photography began in Auschwitz in the summer of 2021
32. Filming continued in Jelenia Góra in January 2022
33. The entire film was shot in Poland and Germany