How a Domestic Scene Creates Dread in ‘The Zone of Interest’

Last night we went to see The Zone of Interest with friends and ran into another couple we knew on our way out of the theatre. All of us found the film disturbing and were trying to make sense of what we had just seen. In this video the film’s director, Jonathan Glazer, explains how he uses a domestic scene to instil dread in the mind of the viewer. The scene follows Aniela, a young Polish girl who works in the home, preparing a glass of schnapps to celebrate the commandant’s birthday, and delivering boots to him during his meeting. 

 

This video is from the NYT “Anatomy of a Scene” series that takes us behind the scenes of all 10 best picture Oscar nominees.