10 Best Movies Like The Zone Of Interest

In 2023, Jonathan Glazer returned to directing after ten years and released his latest film, a war drama entitled The Zone of Interest, which is reminiscent of many other World War II movies and dark horror tales. The Zone of Interest follows Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his family as only a single wall separates the horrors of the concentration camp from the Höss’ beautiful villa. The film offers an intimate glimpse into the domestic life of the Höss family, but also at the daily lives of the men responsible for the deaths of countless Jewish people.

The Zone of Interest is about World War II, but there are other aspects of the film that make it stand out. Most notably, the movie has a very sparse style that is never particularly beautiful or dramatic. Furthermore, the film is subtle in its horror. Rather than blatantly showing the realities of Auschwitz, the movie conveys them through sound and unassuming dialogue. Overall, The Zone of Interest has the effect of being incredibly impactful with very little. The movie is defined by its slow-burn tension, its glaring truths, and its exploration of different World War II dynamics.

10

Under The Skin (2013)

Jonathan Glazer

One of the most obvious films to watch after The Zone of Interest is Under the Skin. This sci-fi thriller is director Jonathan Glazer’s most recent film after The Zone of Interest, and despite having very different subject matter, the two movies share a very similar tone and execution. Just as the Höss family’s life is quietly underscored by the horrors of Auschwitz just over the wall, aspects of Under the Skin are kept hidden in plain sight, only to be discovered by those audiences who are paying close attention. Under the Skin follows an extraterrestrial main character who is disguised as a beautiful young woman traveling around Scotland with the intent to lure men into its van and send them into another dimension. The movie stars Scarlett Johansson, Adam Pearson, Jeremy McWilliams, and Lynsey Taylor McKay.

9

Anatomy Of A Fall (2023)

Justine Triet

Although The Zone of Interest is centered on Rudolf Höss, another character that has a major impact on the Best Picture nominee is Sandra Hüller’s character, Hedwig Höss, and for those viewers who were particularly awed by Hüller’s performance, another great film to watch is Anatomy of a Fall.

Like Under the Skin, Anatomy of a Fall has a story that is quite different from The Zone of Interest, but the movies are easily paired. Sandra Hüller’s outstanding acting is just one connection between them. The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall are both movies that do not go out of their way to make the audience understand the truth. They are bleak, subtle films that allow viewers the space to take away what they will.

8

Funny Games (1997) (2007)

Michael Haneke

A final film to watch after The Zone of Interest that has nothing to do with World War II is Funny Games. Whether it is the original 1997 version or the 2007 remake, Funny Games is a horrifying, dread-inducing watch regardless. Like The Zone of Interest, its biggest fear factor is the tension it builds via small details. Sound and dialogue are a major part of this movie, and make the blatantly scary parts even more horrible to watch. Funny Games follows a German family on a lakeside vacation when two cruel and strange invaders enter their home and take them, and the entire neighborhood, hostage. The Zone of Interest and Funny Games often feel like two sides of the same coin, as they follow a completely powerful German family and a completely vulnerable one.

7

The Pianist (2002)

Roman Polanski

When considering movies similar to The Zone of Interest, it is impossible not to think about some of the best World War II movies of all time, and The Pianist is certainly on that list. This 2002 movie follows a Polish Jewish piano player who watches the destruction of his hometown of Warsaw, Poland over the course of several years during World War II. After being separated from his family, he continues hiding in the ruins of his city, evading capture by the Nazis. Like The Zone of Interest, The Pianist steeps its audience in the era. The movie is an unflinching portrayal of life during World War II. Furthermore, it being based on a true story makes it all the more effective, just like The Zone of Interest. If that isn’t convincing enough, Adrien Brody gives an outstanding performance that will inevitably leave viewers emotional.

6

Schindler’s List (1993)

Steven Spielberg

The movie that is often cited as one of the greatest World War II movies of all time is Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, and this label is given for good reason. Schindler’s List is a war film depicting the real life actions of Oscar Schindler, a businessman who attempted to make his fortune in Nazi Germany. When his Jewish employees begin to be taken by Nazi forces, Schindler decides to use his influence to try and protect them, and by doing so, realizes he has the power to save innocent lives. Where Schindler’s List and The Zone of Interest diverge is in its characters.

Furthermore, Schindler’s List gives a view into the concentration camps and the Jewish perspective, which The Zone of Interest never quite does.

5

A Hidden Life (2019)

Terrence Malick

A movie that is similar to The Zone of Interest in themes and pacing is A Hidden Life. Set during the same time as The Zone of Interest, 2019’s A Hidden Life follows an Austrian farmer who refuses to fight for Nazi Germany during World War II. In many ways, A Hidden Life’s main character is the direct opposite of The Zone of Interest’s Rudolf Höss. Where Höss is prepared to do anything for the Nazi party, Franz Jägerstätter is defiantly opposed, and will use all his will to resist the Nazis. Notably, A Hidden Life is much more visually stunning then The Zone of Interest, and has much more romance attached to it, however, the themes are essentially the same. Both films ask questions of morality and watch the slow unraveling of men on opposite sides of the Nazi spectrum.

4

Son Of Saul (2015)

László Nemes

There are only a few movies that come close to The Zone of Interest’s unique story, and Son of Saul is one of them. Where The Zone of Interest follows a man on a mission for the Nazi party, Son of Saul does the opposite, in a way, showing the story unfolding on the other side of the Höss’ wall. Son of Saul follows a Jewish worker at Auschwitz who, after being commanded to bury the body of a young boy who reminds him of his son, seeks out a Rabbi for a proper funeral. Like The Zone of Interest, Son of Saul shoves viewers right into the action without truly showing the worst parts of it. With the focus so fully on Saul, the movie makes the horrors of Auschwitz more of a dreadful background noise than the main event, which is exactly how The Zone of Interest operates. In this way, the movies are well paired, showing off two opposing yet similar stories.

3

The Grey Zone (2001)

Tim Blake Nelson

Another movie that explores morality during World War II but on the opposite side of the fence is The Grey Zone. This heartwrenching true story follows Auschwitz’s twelfth Sonderkommando, one of thirteen “Special Squads” of Jewish workers that were tasked with helping exterminate their own people in exchange for life. Where The Zone of Interest delves into the life and actions of a tried and true Nazi, The Grey Zone has a much more complicated dilemma.

In this way, The Grey Zone and The Zone of Interest bring up the same question but in regard to opposing groups. Where The Zone of Interest is subtly horrifying, The Grey Zone does not pull its punches.

2

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (2008)

Mark Herman

A highly relevant World War II story that often goes under the radar is The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Though it is told through the lens of a child, this movie is directly linked to The Zone of Interest due to the details it hides, at least from its main character, and also the complicated dynamics between the safe and the vulnerable during World War II. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas follows a young boy who is the son of a Nazi officer and becomes friends with a young Jewish boy on the other side of the concentration camp fence. Throughout the film, the protagonist doesn’t understand the ramifications of his friendship, and ultimately, suffers a tragic fate because of it. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas may seem like a childrens’ story, but it is as impactful as The Zone of Interest due to its unflinching truths and heartbreaking relationship.

1

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Roberto Benigni

Finally, for those who want a completely different perspective on World War II than what The Zone of Interest provides, while staying in the same era, Life is Beautiful is a perfect film to watch. Where The Zone of Interest forces audiences to look deep into the mundane, bleak lives of a Nazi family, Life is Beautiful does the exact opposite. Though it is focused on an Italian Jewish family forced into a concentration camp, the movie has a brighter tone due to its optimistic and kind main character, who attempts to convince his child that their terrible fate is just a game. Life is Beautiful is a great movie to pair with The Zone of Interest because it is its complete opposite. Where The Zone of Interest instills fear and dread, Life is Beautiful attempts to find the good. Ultimately, the two movies tell stories that work off of each other in a very interesting way.