The Zone Of Interest | dir. Jonathan Glazer (2 February)

Jonathan Glazer, director of Sexy Beast and Under The Skin, returns with this sensational adaptation of Martin Amis’ Holocaust-era novel. Set in the house adjacent to the notorious concentration camp, Auschwitz, the film is a stark look at how evil can be normalised. The film depicts Rudolf Höss, the SS commandant who was instrumental in accelerating Hitler’s Final Solution. Christian Friedel plays Höss, while the brilliant Sandra Hüller co-stars as his wife Hedwig. But the real star is Glazer’s glorious sound design, hinting at the horrors over the wall.

Occupied City | dir. Steve McQueen (9 February)

Another film set during World War II, as the acclaimed British director behind Shame, Hunger and Widows, Steve McQueen, turns to documentary. Here, he adapts Atlas of an Occupied City, Amsterdam 1940-1945, written by by Bianca Stigter, McQueen’s own wife. Narrated by Melanie Hyams, this four-hour non-fiction film exhaustively recounts the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. But stretching further McQueen digs into recent years in the Dutch city, during the pandemic years.

The Trouble With Jessica | dir. Matt Winn (15 March)

Writer-director Matt Winn (The Hoarder) examines the British chattering classes with this dark comedy ensemble, featuring an estimable cast. Alan Tudyk and Shirley Henderson play Tom and Sarah, a cash-strapped couple on the verge of being forced to sell their lovely home. Before they do, they host a dinner party, attended by two friends Richard and Beth (Rufus Sewell and Olivia Williams) who bring an unexpected guest, Jessica (Indira Varma). When something happens to the chaotic Jessica, events spiral out of control. The sort of film British filmmakers excel at, this has a mischievous heart.

Silver Haze | dir. Sacha Polak (29 March)

Dutch director Sacha Polak makes her second film in England after 2019’s Dirty God. Once again, she reunites with British actress Vicky Knight, her star from Dirty God, who here plays Franky, a nurse who fifteen years earlier was left terribly scarred from a fire in the pub where she was sleeping. Knight, a real life burns victim, brings genuine emotion to the character, who finds solace in her relationship with the damaged Florence (Esmé Creed-Miles), a woman who has her own mental health issues, from suicidal thoughts to eating disorders.

Io Capitano | dir. Matteo Garrone (5 April)

Italian director Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah) delivers a Homeric-like odyssey, inspired by real events. Two young boys, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall), leave Dakar in search of a better life in Europe, but the reality soon hits in what is an often painful and violent journey. Elegantly conveying the horrors faced by refugees, this powerful film won both the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival, and also saw Sarr win the Marcello Mastroianni prize for Best Young Actor.