
TheZoneofInterest,anAcademy-Award-winningfilmandoneofthemostrivetingandtalked-aboutcinematicreleasesof2023,centeredonAuschwitzcommandantRudolfHössandhisfamily,whomadetheirhomeinchillingproximitytothesiteofatrocities.TheCommandant’sShadowfollowsthefinalreckoningofHansJürgenHössashestruggleswithhisfather’shorrificlegacy.Hans,now87,meetsforthefirsttimewithAuschwitzsurvivorandrenownedcellistAnitaLasker-Wallfisch,whoseday-to-daystruggleforsurvivaleightdecadesagounfoldedinjarringdissonancetoHöss’happychildhoodjustontheothersideofthebarbedwire.AccompaniedbytheirchildreninanintimateandfascinatingencounterinAnita’slivingroom,thetworecounttheirparallelstorieswithpainfulhonesty,raisingtimelessandpertinentquestionsaboutguiltandforgiveness.
