Jonathan Glazer’s Cannes-winning Holocaust drama The Zone Of Interest has been selected as the UK’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars.
The film was selected by BAFTA, the organization appointed by the American Academy to choose the UK’s submission for the International Feature category. To be eligible, a British film must be predominantly non-English language and released theatrically between 1 December 2022 and 31 October 2023. The Zone Of Interest was shot on location in Poland with largely German and Polish dialogue.
Written and directed by Glazer, based on the novel by the late Martin Amis, the film stars Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller, with a score by Oscar-nominated musician Mica Levi (Jackie, Small Axe) and cinematography by Łukasz Żal (Cold War).
Story follows Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz, and his wife Hedwig, who strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp. The film is produced by James Wilson and Ewa Puszczyńska. Executive producers are Reno Antoniades, Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen, Tessa Ross, Ollie Madden, Daniel Battsek, and David Kimbangi. It was co-financed by A24, Film4, Access Entertainment, and the Polish Film Institute.
Glazer picked up the Grand Prix and the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes with the pic, which will be released by A24 in the US on 8 December 2023. A24 has yet to announce the UK release date.
Past British films submitted to the International Feature Film category include Winners by Hassan Nazer, Dying to Divorce by Chloe Fairweather, and The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Here’s the list of this year’s category submissions so far:
