Cannes: A24 Closes Worldwide Deals for Jonathan Glazer’s ‘The Zone of Interest’

A24 has closed deals across Europe and Japan for Jonathan Glazer’s bracing, critically acclaimed Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest.

Distributors across Europe have boarded the drama, adapted from a novel by the late British writer Martin Amis, which follows the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss (played by Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Toni Erdmann star Sandra Hüller) as they go about their ordinary, daily lives in a house and garden built right next to the death camp.

A24 produced The Zone of Interest together with Access Entertainment and Film4 in co-production with JW Films and Extreme Emotions and will release the film stateside. James Wilson and Ewa Puszcyńska were lead producers.

Mini-major Leonine acquired The Zone of Interest for Germany and Austria, BAC picked up France, Cineart took rights in Benelux, Elastica and Wanda took Spain, I Wonder acquired Italian rights, Scandinavian rights went to SF Studios, Spentzos took Greece and Filmcoopi picked up the film for Switzerland. In Japan, The Zone of Interest will go out through Happinet Phantom Studios. Gutek in Poland was already on board to release the film locally.

Since its Cannes debut, The Zone of Interest has been among the most talked-about films at this year’s festival and a clear frontrunner for the 2023 Palme d’Or, which will be announced Saturday. But several buyers had complained about A24’s steep asking price for international rights, concerned that the film’s subject matter, and Glazer’s experimental and challenging cinematic approach, could make The Zone of Interest a tough sell to audiences.