The Oscars night is fast approaching, and perhaps the majority of the fans are already thinking about Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer dominating the event with 13 nominations. As one of the biggest films of last year, it is undeniably deserving of a winning spot unless another contender emerges like a dark horse.
A movie about the Holocaust is making its way to the Oscar’s carpet. Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest has arrested the attention of everyone at the London Film Critics’ Awards, including the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and the Oscars.
The Zone of Interest: The Movie That Oppenheimer Should Be Afraid Of
At London’s BFI Southbank appeared both Jonathan Glazer and Harry Potter director and four-time Oscar winner Alfonso Cuarón for a sit-down interview. During their conversation via Deadline, the latter profusely commended the movie and claimed it is “probably the most important film in this century, both from the standpoint of his cinematic approach and the complexity of its theme.”
The making of The Zone of Interest was a difficult endeavor. Glazer took ten years to finally bring it to the big screen, and admitting having a strange relationship with it only delayed its progress. In an interview with The Guardian, he confessed:
“This was the road I was going down, and I couldn’t stop myself going down it, but at the same time, I was ready to pull back from it at any moment. I almost wanted to hit a brick wall so I could turn around and say: ‘You know what? I tried and I can’t do it.’ I was almost willing that to happen.”
The Zone of Interest is an ambitious and formally experimental project. What made it unique was the fact that it was mostly shot on hidden cameras with a detached point of view. Emerging as a force to reckon with, after all the high praises and awards it has received, The Zone of Interest has become a strong competitor against Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
The Oscars Will Have A Tough Time Choosing Winners
It must be the trend now how veteran directors promote the works of their fellow filmmakers. Paul Schrader, helmer of The Card Counter, also claimed in a post that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is the “most important” movie:
“The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year, it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie, but this one blows the door off the hinges.”
Both The Zone of Interest and Oppenheimer are now the most important films of this century. How will the Oscars decide which one to give the awards? As both movies tackled significant parts of history, the jury will have a difficult time deliberating. As Nolan previously claimed via Independent:
“Oppenheimer is the biggest film I’ve ever made. It’s not about money, it’s not about budget – the magnitude of the story is what attracted me to it.”
This challenge for the Oscars could also be taken as a sign that filmmakers are now putting more effort and energy into releasing high-quality movies that not only entertain but also educate and influence minds.
