As of this writing, The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer’s harrowing look inside the home of a high-ranking Nazi family, is still playing in theaters in the United States. But if you can’t catch the film in theaters, when and where can you watch it at home?
The Zone of Interest tells the story of Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the commandant of the Auschwitz death camp during World War II. As Höss and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) build what they see as an idyllic life for themselves with a middle-class house and sprawling garden, they ignore the disturbing sounds drifting over the wall their home shares with the camp. When Höss learns that he’s being transferred to another location, he and Hedwig fight to stay in what they see as a paradise.
The Zone of Interest is a technical and artistic masterpiece, combining innovative camera work and a shocking soundscape to paint a portrait of evil at its most banal. Despite its relatively limited theatrical run in the U.S., this movie is definitely worth a watch—not just because it tells a gripping story, but because it shines a light on how easy it is to be complicit in genocide.
Is The Zone of Interest still in theaters?
As of this writing, The Zone of Interest is still playing in theaters around the U.S. However, if it’s not playing in your location, you’ll need to wait for its digital and streaming releases.
How to watch The Zone of Interest on digital and streaming
If you miss The Zone of Interest in theaters, you may not have to wait long to buy a digital copy. Some of A24’s other recent films, like Priscilla and Past Lives, have gotten their digital releases within a couple of months of their theatrical runs. That means The Zone of Interest could be available to buy digitally in late winter or early spring 2024.
If you want to watch The Zone of Interest when it arrives on streaming platforms, you’ll likely have to wait a little longer—and you’ll need to make sure you’re subscribed to Max, HBO, or Cinemax. That’s because A24 signed an exclusive deal with HBO at the end of 2024.
Whatever you do, don’t skip this important film. It’ll broaden your horizons in terms of both cinematic mastery and Holocaust history—a rare combination indeed.
(featured image: A24)
