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Writer's pictureK/XI

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

I hated the UK marketing for Under The Skin. I really dislike when directors are compared to other directors and wish people could just be appreciated for who they are. It was only until my second viewing of Under the Skin and consecutive viewings, that I could really appreciate it and loved it very much. Therefore I was naturally excited to see The Zone of Interest. To show how little I had researched the film, I was pleasantly surprised that it was in German and Polish.


Set against the absurd backdrop of the Holocaust and concentration camps, a family lives, in what seems to be, their best life. I loved the framing, the colour palette, and the strong yet natural performances from all of the actors. There was something about how every day life was portrayed, with a sense that something really was very wrong about the whole thing, that reminded me of Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles. In fact, I think both films would make a great double feature.


Despite the themes and how difficult it might be to watch, this film is meant for the big screen. The score is beautifully crafted by returning composer Mica Levi. Every time it kicked in, I got goosebumps and was reminded that despite how ordinary the film looked, there was cinematic mastery present in each shot. We only got this recently in the UK, and it will definitely be one of the top films of the year for me.





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