Steven Spielberg Is Right About The Zone Of Interest (Though A 2015 Movie Challenges It)

Although A24’s The Zone of Interest has received major compliments from the likes of legendary director, Steven Spielberg, a 2015 Hungarian film challenges the director’s comments in a major way. The Zone of Interest centers around a German SS soldier, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig’s desire to pursue a better quality of life all while living next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The film’s uncompromising depiction of the film’s subjects has contributed to the film’s positive reception among critics and audiences, with the most notable support coming from none other than Spielberg.

In Spielberg’s review of The Zone of Interest, the director referred to the film as “the best I ever witnessed,” which certainly is one of the best endorsements that anyone’s film can receive. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg elaborated on his statements by claiming:

The Zone of Interest is the best Holocaust movie I’ve witnessed since my own. It’s doing a lot of good work in raising awareness, especially about the banality of evil
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Spielberg’s comments echo a common sentiment among critics that The Zone of Interest is one of the best movies of 2023, and its commitment to its challenging source material combined with its atmospheric sound and visual fidelity aid significantly in the film receiving such plaudits. However, despite the impact that the A24 historical drama is having on audiences, there is one lesser-known film from 2015 that challenges Spielberg’s bold assertions.

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The Zone Of Interest: A24’s Best Picture Nominee Is Available To Watch At Home Now

The Zone of Interest, A24’s Holocaust drama that was nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, is now available to watch at home.

Steven Spielberg Is Right: Why The Zone Of Interest Is The Best Holocaust Movie Since Schindler’s List

2015’s Son of Saul is a close contender

Among its many praises, Schindler’s List is one of the greatest films of all time because it is one of the most poignant examples of a filmmaker putting a spotlight on one of history’s greatest tragedies. However, 2015’s Son of Saul is a close contender for the best Holocaust movie because it makes its protagonist, Saul, feel relatable by focusing purely on his experience trying to survive the Holocaust. Other movies usually highlight the effects of war and mass casualties that, while effective storytelling devices, don’t demand one’s attention the same way focusing on a single person does.

The Zone of Interest, on the other hand, highlights that many of the Nazis who were complicit in the Holocaust were, at the end of the day, ordinary people like anyone else. By showing audiences how mundane the macabre situation was to people like Rudolf and Hedwig, it effectively highlights just how truly evil the Holocaust and its perpetrators were. The Pianist is also a suitable contender for best Holocaust movie ever made because of its frightening sense of realism that was achieved largely through Adrien Brody’s performance. However, The Zone of Interest‘s Oscar potential does elevate its status, possibly past it.

Will The Zone Of Interest Match Schindler’s List’s Oscars Success?

The Zone Of Interest has 5 Oscar nominations

The Zone of Interest‘s five Academy Award nominations against Schindler’s List‘s seven lend credibility to the claim that it’s the second-best Holocaust movie after Spielberg’s masterpiece. Most notable among the film’s nominations is its Oscar nod for Best Sound courtesy of the efforts of sound engineers Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn. Their work on The Zone of Interest has resulted in the film exuding a perpetually haunting and griping atmosphere that effectively makes the film just as scary as its events are true. With the Oscars on the way, The Zone of Interest could match Schindler’s List.