©Leonine Distribution
Film and discussion with Christian Friedel (main actor)
Moderated by: Rikola-Gunnar Lüttgenau
at the Lichthaus Kino im Straßenbahndepot, Weimar, on 22 March 2024, 7 pm
In his new film, British director Jonathan Glazer sheds light on the lives of Rudolf and Hedwig Höss, the Auschwitz camp commandant and his family, in their picture-book home right next to the extermination camp. After being awarded the Palme d'Or in Cannes, the unorthodox film has since been nominated for five Oscars. (The award ceremony is scheduled for 10 March 2024).
The director describes the highly remarkable style in which THE ZONE OF INTEREST was shot as a result of his respect for the subject matter: "I didn't want to feel like I was making a historical film about a bygone era that would then be put in a museum," says Glazer. "This is about one of the worst periods in human history, but we can't say: 'That was 80 years ago, it's none of our business, we're on the safe side, let's brush it aside!' It would be wrong to believe that this issue no longer concerns us. It clearly does, and - as worrying as it may be - it will perhaps always affect us. That's why I wanted to look at it from a modern perspective."
Despite all its shots of isolation, THE ZONE OF INTEREST is ultimately a radically open film that refuses to close the door to the past: it remains open, forever.
Rudolf Höß is portrayed by Christian Friedel ("The White Ribbon", "Elser - He Would Have Changed the World", "Babylon Berlin", born in Magdeburg). Sandra Hüller ("Anatomy of a Case", "Toni Erdmann", born in Suhl) shines in the role of Höß' wife Hedwig.
The filming of THE ZONE OF INTEREST was characterised by the fact that the filming location was not a studio, but the former Auschwitz camp itself. "I decided to visit the concentration camp," Friedel recalls. "I wanted to do this before filming began, as a human being, as a normal person, as myself. But during my visit, I suddenly had the impression that my film character was taking over me. I had a very uneasy feeling: 'This is my castle, this is my work...' It was strange to do this, but very important."
USA/Great Britain/Poland 2023, length: 93 minutes, FSK 12
An event organised by the Buchenwald and Mittelbau Dora Memorials Foundation
Christian Friedel travels to Weimar for the screening of the film. In a film talk with him, he will talk about the special conditions under which the film was made and its background.
The next day, Saturday 23 March at 1 p.m., a themed tour of the Buchenwald Memorial will take visitors to various sites that illustrate the life of the SS alongside the camp.
