Son Of Saul Director Lazlo Nemes Condemns Jonathan Glazer Speech

Distinguished Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes, who vigorously shocked the world with the unflinching reality of his poignant Holocaust masterpieceSon of Saul, has thrown down the gauntlet, candidly raising his voice against the vehement speech delivered by Jonathan Glazer, the director of The Zone of Interest, at the recent Oscar ceremony.

The director’s acceptance speech, albeit polarising, earned him recognition and outrage in equal measure. Emphatically declaring, Glazer stated that he stands alongside James Wilson, his producer, as they vehemently repudiate the appropriation of their Jewish heritage and the Holocaust at the hands of an occupation resulting in devastating conflicts affecting countless innocent individuals, be it the victims of the tragedy that unfolded in Israel on October 7 or the ceaseless onslaught on Gaza.

In a column published by the The Guardian, Nemes, a recipient of the foreign language award at the 2015 Oscars for his heart-wrenching depiction of the Holocaust in Son of Saul, sharply condemns Glazer’s declarations.

“The Zone of Interest is unquestionably a remarkable cinematic endeavour. However, its director would better have remained silent, dodging the perpetuation of his lack of historical underpinnings and a stark misunderstanding of the forces that have corroded civilization, both during and post the Holocaust.

“Had Glazer welcomed the inherently demanding responsibility that accompanies a film of such a nature, he would have abstained from resorting to prompts disseminated by propaganda, harbouring, in the final analysis, a sinister intent to wipe out all Jewish presence from the planet.

“In a time when we are teetering uncomfortably close to pre-Holocaust levels of anti-Jewish hate – this time, packaged in a trendy, ‘progressive’ veneer, it is particularly alarming. In our landscape today, the sole form of discrimination not only condoned but also perversely emboldened, is anti-Semitism.”

Peruse the profound entirety of Nemes’ statement here.

Interestingly, both Son of Saul and The Zone of Interest, despite their eight-year difference in debut dates, commandeered the prestigious grand prix, a highly coveted runner-up prize, at the Cannes Festival. Furthermore, their thematic unity is equally noteworthy, unfolding in 1944 at Auschwitz, the harrowing hellscape of the Holocaust.

Danny Cohen, the executive producer of the film, finally weighed in on the contentious debate revolving around Glazer’s speech on Friday, expressing his categorical disagreement with the director’s comments.

In conclusion, this episode underscores the persisting and progressively convoluted narrative surrounding the representation and discussion of historical events such as the Holocaust. With both sides presenting valid arguments deeply rooted in personal values and beliefs, it provokes thought about the balance between freedom of speech and potentially offensive rhetoric permeating our society.