DIRECTOR Jonathan Glazer has condemned the ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip as he accepted an Oscar for his film about the banality of evil during the Holocaust.
The Zone Of Interest won the best international feature Oscar for the United Kingdom.
The harrowing portrait of a family living in a house and garden next to a concentration camp stars German actor Christian Friedel as Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Hoss while Sandra Huller plays his wife Hedwig.
Hoss was a long-serving Nazi officer who was widely acknowledged as one of the architects of mass extermination during the Holocaust.
READ MORE: SNP MP hits out as Prince Edward appointed to Order of the Thistle
Much of the film follows the mundanity of family life, never venturing inside the camp, while the background sound and the billowing smoke hints at the horrors taking place over the fence.
Accepting the award, Glazer – who is Jewish – appeared to tremble as he read a pre-written speech, saying: “All of our choices were made to confront us in the present. Not to say ‘Look what they did then, rather look what we do now’.”
He added: “Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst – it’s shaped all of our past and present.
“Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people.
“Whether it’s the victims of October 7 in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all are victims of this dehumanisation. How do we resist?”
He was met with applause before he continued: “Alexandria… the girl who glows in the film, as she did in life, chose to. I dedicate this to her memory and to her resistance.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel