A24 has released the first trailer for Jonathan Glazer's utterly unnerving The Zone of Interest.
The historical drama follows Rudolf Hoss, the commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and his wife Hedwig as they "strive to build a dream life next to the camp" – while ignoring the unspeakable horrors happening just next door.
"Wherever you’re from, it’s to try and show these people as people, not as monsters; that was an important thing to do," Glazer told Deadline. "The great crime and tragedy is that human beings did this to other human beings. It’s very convenient for us to distance ourselves from them.”
Based on the novel of the same name by Martin Amis, the cast includes Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller, Johann Karthaus, Luis Noah Witte, Nele Ahrensmeier, Lilli Falk, and Medusa Knopf. The film is Glazer's first outing since 2013's Under the Skin, which starred Scarlett Johansson and received numerous accolades including ranking 61st on the BBC's 100 Greatest Films of the Century list.
The film made its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a six-minute standing ovation as well as four awards: the Grand Prix, the International Federation of Film Critics Prize, the Soundtrack Award, and the CST Artist-Technician Award. Friedel was awarded Breakthrough Performer at the Montclair Film Festival, where he will receive the award post-screening on October 29.
The Zone of Interest hits theaters in North America on December 8, 2023. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond.
