"The Zone of Interest," a cinematic feat helmed by Jonathan Glazer, shatters the illusion that those capable of great malevolence are subhuman. The film, adapted from Martin Amis' novel, offers a disturbing insight into the lives of a commandant and his family residing next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Among the everyday duties of raising children and issuing orders to servants, murmurs of inexpressible horrors creep in, intentionally discomforting the audience.
Christian Fredel delivers an unsettling performance as Rudolph Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, while Sandra Hüller captivates as his wife, their relationship more transactional than intimate. Despite the inherent revulsion their characters inspire, both Fredel and Hüller, through their distressingly compelling performances, infuse humanity into characters for whom audience empathy seems next to impossible.
Fredel shares compelling insights about acting in this unique project, revealing the opportunity to dive into unseen perspectives, using his emotional archive, and the responsibility of handling such a complex narrative. "The importance of art; it inspires people to talk about it" he noted, emphasizing the film's potential to initiate discussions.
Fredel's experience on the set was unlike any other, as "The Zone of Interest" was filmed with a multi-camera system, capturing scenes simultaneously both within and outside the movie set. He described the film shooting as a ‘search', one that aimed to capture the banality of the characters’ lives, devoid of any technical interruptions. The portraying of a Nazi commandant, Fredel remarked, demanded a balance between adhering to the historical context and presenting a character that he could identify with.
Fredel's performance as a Nazi officer rides the dualities of the character, while battling his personal feelings of abhorrence toward the character. He wrestles with scenes that depicted the horrifyingly ordinary instances in the character's life, realizes that portraying a human was different than portraying the biography of Rudolph Höss. He reflects, "I realized that it could be me. I think this was important, that I realized this could-not that we are all Nazis-but that this could be us.”
One of the story's unsettling realities is the disconnect between the professional 'couple,' Fredel and Hüller, and the atrocities happening around them. Their performances embody the alarming reality of humans’ ability to self-deceive and ignore what they don't want to see.
Fredel's experience working alongside Hüller was full of admiration and inspiration, reflecting that despite the intense subject matter and location, they managed to find moments of rest and relaxation--a testament to the resilience of human spirit.
"The Zone of Interest," is set for a theatrical release on December 15th.
