Academy Awards'24: 'The Zone of Interest' wins Best International Film
The British film, The Zone of Interest, has made history by winning the Best International Film Oscar at the Academy Awards 2024 in Los Angeles. Directed by Jonathan Glazer and based on Martin Amis's novel, this Auschwitz-centered movie is a bilingual film in German and Polish. This win is a first for a British film in this category, with previous nominations including Hedd Wyn in 1993 and Solomon & Gaenor in 2000.
Glazer highlighted the Israel-Palestine conflict in the acceptance speech
In his acceptance speech, director Glazer highlighted that The Zone of Interest is more than just a historical film; it also addresses and challenges current issues. Glazer stated, "All our choices were made to reflect and confront us in the present. Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst." He also connected this to the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, expressing disapproval of the Holocaust being exploited by an occupation that resulted in conflict for innocent people.
Other nominees and cast details
Competing against The Zone of Interest were the Spanish air crash drama Society of the Snow, directed by JA Bayona, and the Japanese character study Perfect Days, directed by Wim Wenders, among others. Interestingly, another non-English-language film, Anatomy of a Fall, was not nominated. The Zone of Interest stars Sandra Hüller as Hedwig Hoss and Christian Friedel as Rudolf Höss, the commandant of the Auschwitz death camp.
