Christian Friedel spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the response to Jonathan Glazer’s chilling film. <\/p>
Jonathan Glazer\u2019s latest film, The Zone of Interest<\/a>, has featured heavily in awards season so far \u2013 faring especially well at the BAFTA Film Awards<\/a>, where it picked up three prizes including both Best British Film and Film Not in the English Language.<\/p>\n The chilling drama follows the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf H\u00f6ss, and his family as they go about their day-to-day life in the shadow of the concentration camp, and explores \u2013 among other things \u2013 how people can turn a blind eye to horrendous suffering happening on their watch.<\/p>\n In addition to its three BAFTA wins, the film is nominated for five\u00a0Academy Awards at the upcoming Oscars<\/a>, and has received a rapturous reception from fans and critics.<\/p>\n And, according to star Christian Friedel \u2013 who plays H\u00f6ss \u2013 there are some responses to the film which have especially moved him.<\/p> \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of special emotional reactions,\u201d he exclusively told RadioTimes.com<\/a> on the red carpet at the BAFTAs, before recalling one exchange in particular that he had found particularly touching.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI had a conversation with a Jewish man in the Hamptons when I was there,\u201d he revealed, \u201cand he said to me he was shocked because he said, \u2018As a Jewish man, this could be me on screen.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that was\u2026 I was so impressed about this reaction, because this is the bitter truth. This darkness is in all of us. Even if we are Jewish, or we are gay or straight or Black or white. We are capable of doing this \u2013 to ignore.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cWe are masters of self-deception, and we have to be aware of this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n