The Grey Zone (2001)

Director:

Tim Blake Nelson

Writers:

Miklos Nyiszli (book)
Tim Blake Nelson (play)
(more)

Release Date:

30 November 2001 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Story You Haven't Seen

Plot:

A Nazi doctor, along with the Sonderkomando, Jews who are forced to work in the crematoria of Auschwitz against their fellow Jews, find themselves in a moral grey zone.

Plot Keywords:

Auschwitz | Uprising | Doctor | Poland | Holocaust

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

David Arquette	...	Hoffman
Velizar Binev	...	Moll
David Chandler	...	Max Rosenthal
Michael Stuhlbarg	...	Cohen
George Zlatarev	...	Lowy (as Georgy Zlatarev)
Dimitar Ivanov	...	Old Man
Daniel Benzali	...	Simon Schlermer
Allan Corduner	...	Dr. Miklos Nyiszli
Steve Buscemi	...	'Hesch' Abramowics
Harvey Keitel	...	SS-Oberscharfuhrer Eric Muhsfeldt
Henry Stram	...	SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer Josef Mengele
Kamelia Grigorova	...	Girl
Lisa Benavides	...	Anja
Shirly Brener	...	Inmate
Mira Sorvino	...	Dina
Natasha Lyonne	...	Rosa
Dafina Katzarraska	...	Woman Inmate (as Dafina Katzarrska)
Donka Avramova	...	Young Woman
Rumena Trifonova	...	Woman Inmate
Simeon Vladov	...	Guard
Marianne Stanicheva	...	Girl's Mother (as Mariana Stanisheva)
Oncho Alexanyan	...	Rivkin
Georgi Kalchev	...	SS Officer
Lee Wilkof	...	Morris, Man with Watch
Jessica Hecht	...	Man's Wife
Brian F. O'Byrne	...	Gestapo Interrogator, SS-Untersturmfuhrer (as Brian O'Byrne)
Valentin Ganev	...	Torturer
Steve Ubels	...	Hauptman
Vladimir Velev	...	KS Man
Victor Kalev	...	Kahn
Hristo Shopov	...	Halivni
Mark Wing-Davey	...	Schott
Ioana Christova	...	Woman Inmate
Harry Anichkin	...	Kaminski
Dobrin Dosev	...	SS Officer
Portia Reiners	...	Young Girl (voice)

Directed by
Tim Blake Nelson

Writing credits
Miklos Nyiszli		(book "Auschwitz: a Doctor's Eyewitness Account") (as Dr. Miklos Nyiszli)
Tim Blake Nelson		(play "The Grey Zone")
Tim Blake Nelson		(written by)

Produced by
Danny Dimbort	....	executive producer
Peggy Gormley	....	executive producer
Trish Hofmann	....	line producer
Harvey Keitel	....	executive producer
Pamela Koffler	....	producer
Avi Lerner	....	producer
Danny Lerner	....	producer
Tim Blake Nelson	....	producer
Trevor Short	....	executive producer
Christine Vachon	....	producer
David Varod	....	co-producer
John Wells	....	executive producer
Brad Weston	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Russell Lee Fine		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michelle Botticelli
Tim Blake Nelson

Casting by
Will Cantler
Bernard Telsey		(as Bernie Telsey)
David Vaccari

Production Design by
Maria Djurkovic

Art Direction by
Johnny Breedt
Tatiana Lund

Set Decoration by
Valentina Mladenova

Costume Design by
Marina Draghici

Makeup Department
Sofi Davidova	....	assistant makeup artist
Ivon Ivanova	....	first assistant makeup artist
Claudia Moser	....	key hair stylist
Claudia Moser	....	key makeup artist
Rostica Rado	....	hair stylist
Irenka Savova	....	hair assistant (as Irinka Savova)
Aldo Signoretti	....	hair stylist: Mr. Keitel
Mariana Zaharieva	....	hair assistant

Production Management
Svetoslav Doitchinov	....	unit production manager (as Svetoslav Doichinov)
Todd Gilbert	....	post-production supervisor
Katie Roumel	....	executive in charge of production: Killer Films
Megan Sanchez-Warner	....	production supervisor: Killer Films (as Megan Warner)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Mechkoff	....	second second assistant director
Milos Milicevic	....	second assistant director
Franklin A. Vallette	....	first assistant director (as Franklin Adreon Vallette)
Kamen Velkovsky	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Fourie Ackerman	....	head scenic artist
Ventsislav Alexandrov	....	set dresser
Temenuzska Aneva	....	construction nurse
Petko Angelov	....	set dresser
Svetla Bojeva	....	set dresser
Nikola Branchev	....	stand-by props
Johnny Breedt	....	construction manager
Dirk Buchmann	....	property master
Ivan Dimitrov	....	set dresser
Dirk Du Preez	....	scenic painter
George Hristov	....	stand-by painter
Anna Ignatova	....	construction buyer
Nedka Iskernova	....	set dresser (as Nedka Iskrenova)
Kamen Ivanov	....	set dresser
Pete Karlsen	....	construction supervisor (as Peter Karlsen)
Bongani Ledwaba	....	stand-by props (as Bongani Lewada)
Nikolai Michailov	....	prop vehicles
Miraphora Mina	....	prop graphics
George Nolovu	....	stand-by props
Krassimir Pashkulev	....	set buyer
Ivan Petrov	....	props buyer
Kalin Stefanov	....	set dresser
Keith Van Der Vent	....	lead carpenter
Rae Wynna-Roberts	....	lead carpenter (as Ray Wynne-Roberts)
Yasen Denev	....	painter (uncredited)
Yasen Denev	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Rosen Stefanov	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Evgeni Yordanov	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Christopher Barnett	....	engineering services (as Chris Barnett)
Christopher Barrick	....	assistant sound editor (as Chris Barrick)
Chris Barron	....	digital sound transferer (as Christopher Barron)
Phil Benson	....	supervising sound editor
Tim Burby	....	digital sound transferer
Brian Chumney	....	digital editorial services
John Countryman	....	digital sound transferer
Travis Crenshaw	....	sound recordist
Coya Elliott	....	assistant sound editor
Sean England	....	machine room operator
Sue Fox	....	adr editor (as Suzanne Fox)
Anna Geyer	....	foley recordist
Aura Gilge	....	assistant sound editor
Jonathan Greber	....	digital sound transferer
J.R. Grubbs	....	sound effects editor
Gabriel Guy	....	mix assistant
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Petur Hliddal	....	sound mixer
Christo Hristoskov	....	sound intern
David Hunter	....	digital editorial services
Noah Katz	....	digital editorial services
Jane McCulley	....	adr editor (as Jane Mcculley)
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Larry Oatfield	....	sound effects editor
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
Frank Rinella	....	foley mixer
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Romanko	....	machine room operator
Krasimir Shtabekov	....	boom operator (as Krasimir Shtebekov)
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Dan Sperry)
Dianna Stirpe	....	dialogue editor
Erich Stratmann	....	assistant sound editor
John Taylor	....	engineering services
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	dialogue editor (as Gwen Yates-Whittle)
Matthew C. Beville	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Jesse Hammer	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Matt Hedges	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Willie Botha	....	model maker
Willie Botha	....	special effects coordinator
Vasil Dikov	....	pyrotechnics coordinator (as Vassil Dikov)
Pavel Dimitrov	....	special effects buyer
Todor Ilkov	....	special effects sculptor
Ivan Ivanov	....	special effects artist
Martin Ivanov	....	mold maker
Pete Karlsen	....	special effects assistant (as Peter Karlsen)
Peter Kavilsou	....	special effects assistant
Lilya Koleva	....	special effects sculptor
Stuart Murdoch	....	special effects supervisor
Gergana Nedyalkova	....	special effects interpreter
Lyudmil Nikolov	....	special effects artist
Simeon Nikolov	....	body casting
Svetlin Pavlov	....	mold maker
Atanas Peikov	....	mold maker
Antoniya Popova	....	special effects artist
Nikolai Rafailov	....	body casting
Pencho Rizov	....	body casting
Marten Ruskov	....	mold maker (as Martin Ruskov)
Rostislav Rusov	....	special effects sculptor
Nikola Simeonov	....	special effects artist
Boryana Stepanova	....	special effects sculptor
Yana Stoyanova	....	special effects artist
Ognyan Zlatkov	....	foam casting

Visual Effects by
Janos Pilenyi	....	optical supervisor: Cineric (as János Pilényi)
Ariel Enriquez Saulog	....	digital supervisor: Cineric
Steven Emmert	....	optical compositor: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
Parvan Parvanov	....	stunt coordinator
Stanimir Stamatov	....	stunts
Teodor Tsolov	....	stunts
Raicho Vasilev	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mihail Apostolov	....	grip (as Michail Apostolov)
Mark Davidson	....	key grip
Spiro Dichev	....	dolly grip
Lyubomir Dimitrov	....	assistant camera
Deyan Donev	....	still photographer
Hristo Elandjiev	....	electrician (as Christo Elandjiev)
Lyubomir Hristoskov	....	grip (as Ljubomir Hristokov)
Rumen Idakiev	....	electrician
Toshko Kamenov	....	focus puller: "c" camera
Ivailo Kostov	....	electrician
Nikolai Kostov	....	best boy grip
Todor Kostov	....	electrician
Mihail Kotev	....	assistant camera
Zheko Manev	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Jeko Manev)
John McAleer	....	first assistant camera
Neven Mihailova	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Neven Mihailov)
George Mihailov	....	best boy electric (as Georgi Michailov)
Stoyan Milanov	....	second assistant camera: "c" camera
Manol Morolav	....	grip
Boryana Papazova	....	second assistant camera
Emil Penev	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Philip Philipov	....	grip (as Phillip Philipov)
Plamen Soklev	....	electrician
Plamen Somov	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bruce Thomas	....	gaffer
Fyodor Tzanovski	....	electrician (as Feodor Tzanovski)
Yaroslav Yachew	....	camera operator: "c" camera (as Yaroslav Yachev)
Borislav Zlatinov	....	camera loader (uncredited)

Casting Department
Keisha Ames	....	casting associate: New York
Bethany Berg	....	casting associate: New York
Manya Decalo	....	casting assistant: Bulgaria
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Amy Hubbard	....	casting: London (as Amy Maclean)
Angelina Marinova	....	casting director: Bulgaria

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Asen Asenov	....	costumer
Irina Cherkelova	....	wardrobe interpreter
Sonya Despotova	....	wardrobe supervisor
Margarita Dineva	....	seamstress
Katya Ivanova	....	costumer
Nasko Ivanov	....	costumer
Stefan Kirov	....	wardrobe consultant
Boriana Mintcheva	....	costumer (as Boryana Mincheva)
Violeta Rusinova	....	costumer (as Violeta Russenova)
Nadezda Simeonova	....	costumer
Irina Yankulova	....	seamstress
Annie Yotova	....	costumer (as Ani Yotova)
Irena Maximova Kirkova	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Erin Crackel	....	assistant film editor
Marie Hélène Desbiens	....	negative cutter (as Marie-Helene Desbiens)
Richard Keeshan	....	editing intern (as Rich Keeshan)
Jordan Kessler	....	post-production coordinator
George Koran	....	colorist
Vicki McIsaac	....	post-production assistant (as Vicki Mcisaac)
Micah Weinstein	....	editing intern
Renannah Weinstein	....	associate editor (as Renannah Seliger)
Jim Williams	....	color timer
Michal Shemesh	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Todor G. Todorov	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Claudio Abbado	....	conductor: "Alto Rhapsody"
Jeff Danna	....	composer: end credit music
Jeff Danna	....	composer: title music
Jeff Danna	....	music arranger: "Roses from the South"
Jeff Danna	....	orchestrator: "Roses from the South"
Andy Hill	....	music consultant
Brad Hill	....	music mixer
Andrew Lockington	....	music arranger: "Roses from the South"
Andrew Lockington	....	orchestrator: title theme and "Roses from the South"
Brad Haehnel	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Jenny Abel	....	assistant: Mr. Danny Lerner
Laird Adamson	....	production executive: Killer Films
Tsila Adler	....	post-production accountant
Daniela Ancheva	....	cashier
Bobby Ayramova	....	production secretary
Francesco Belfiore	....	assistant: Mr. Keitel (as Francesco Belfiure)
Veneta Blagoeva	....	unit medic
Maya Brankova	....	production assistant (as Maya Vrankova)
Donald Bruce	....	production controller
Morag Cameron	....	script supervisor
Lorrie Churma	....	insurance: USI Entertainment Services
Karen M. Cockrell	....	post-production accounting manager (as Karen Cockrell)
Katia Dimitrova	....	production coordinator
Stefanka Dobrenova	....	unit medic
Edwin Dunkley	....	video services (as Ed Dunkley)
Petya Evtimova	....	production assistant
Sean M. Fawcett	....	legal: Barab, Kline & Coate LLP
Jason E. Frankel	....	legal: Barab, Kline & Coate LLP
Eli Frantzes	....	studio manager
Amy R. Gorin	....	production associate (as Amy Gorin)
Jocelyn Hayes	....	development executive: Killer Films
Mike Lane	....	client services
Ljubo	....	craft service
Jon Marcus	....	production executive: Killer Films
Ventsi Mihailov	....	caterer
Kristina Mileva	....	production accountant
Andrew Mollo	....	military advisor
Eva Napolean	....	client services
Gordon Ng	....	client services
Kiril Nikolov	....	assistant armorer
Stasi Petrova	....	coordinator: Bulgarian Business Projects
Mark Pogachefski	....	publicist: MprM, USA (as Mark Pogachefsky)
Vasil Radoev	....	set coordinator
Renee Russo	....	client services
Jonathan Rutter	....	publicist: McDonald/Rutter, UK
Ken Schatz	....	dialect coach: Mr. Keitel
Bradford Simpson	....	head of development: Killer Films
David Sitzman	....	contracts administrator
Dora Somova	....	production assistant (as Dora Samova)
Marianne Stanicheva	....	assistant: Mr. Nelson (as Mariana Stanisheva)
Valentin Stefanov	....	arms master
Erica Stern	....	assistant: Mr. Avi Lerner
John Torrijos	....	video services (as John 'J.T.' Torrijos)
Daniel Wagner	....	head of operations: Killer Films
Kalina Kottas	....	first production accountant (uncredited)
Jeff Maksym	....	pre-production office intern (uncredited)
Denis O'Sullivan	....	assistant: Harvey Keitel (uncredited)
Peter Rakovski	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Stuart Artingstall	....	special thanks
Steve Breimer	....	special thanks
Alessandro Camon	....	special thanks
Gadi Cimand	....	special thanks
Ethan Coen	....	special thanks
Joel Coen	....	special thanks
Howard Cohen	....	special thanks
Linda Cohen	....	special thanks
Tricia Cooke	....	special thanks
Florian Endre	....	special thanks
Endre Florine	....	special thanks
Mohammed Gasmi	....	special thanks: Domo Productions
Jon Gerber	....	very special thanks
Marc H. Glick	....	special thanks
Paula Gordon	....	special thanks
Eitan Hakami	....	special thanks
Robert Hein	....	special thanks (as Bob Hein)
Glenn Kiser	....	very special thanks (as Glen Kiser)
Krzystof Kloskowscy	....	special thanks: Hero Collection
A. Fredric Leopold	....	special thanks (as A. Fredric Leopold, Esq.)
Tom Lopinski	....	special thanks
Terrence Malick	....	special thanks
John Mardesich	....	very special thanks
Frances McDormand	....	special thanks
Richard M. Miles	....	special thanks: US Ambassador to Bulgaria
Robert H. Montgomery Jr.	....	special thanks (as Robert H. Montgomery Jr., Esq.)
Michael S. Nelson	....	special thanks
Rosemarie Nief	....	special thanks
Alexander Petrov	....	special thanks: Alvego Ltd.
Richard W. Seaver	....	special thanks
Aviya Sharon	....	special thanks
Lois Smith	....	special thanks
Slavi Trifonov	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Goatsingers, The
• Killer Films
• Martien Holdings A.V.V. (as Martien Holding A.V.V.)
• Millennium Films (as Millennium Films)

Distributors

• Art Port (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Indipendenti Regionali (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• E Stars Films (2004) (China) (TV)
• Eagle Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)

Other Companies

• Auschwitz/Birkenau Memorial  special thanks
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll services (as Axium Payroll Services Inc.)
• Barab, Kline & Coate  legal services
• Boyana Caterers  catering
• Boyana Film Laboratory  dailies telecine transfers (as Boyana Film Lab)
• Chao Chao  catering (as Ciao Ciao)
• Cineric  titles and opticals
• Goodholly Studios  adr: Los Angeles
• Hubbard Casting  casting: London
• MPRM Public Relations  publicity: USA (as MprM)
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting (as Magic Film and Videoworks)
• McDonald and Rutter  publicity: UK (as Mcdonald/Rutter)
• NT Audio Visual  optical track transfer (as NT Audio)
• Post Production Playground  special thanks
• Richard Manbey Wig Specialties  wigs
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Skywalker Sound  very special thanks
• Sound One  special thanks
• Soundtrack  adr: New York
• USI Entertainment Insurance Services  insurance brokers
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum  special thanks (as US Holocaust Museums)
• WoodHolly Productions  adr: Los Angeles (as Woodholly Studios)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong holocaust violence, nudity and language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA (cable rating) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Brazil:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Spain:18 | USA:R (certificate #38234) | Norway:15 | Australia:R | Germany:16 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Company:

Goatsingers, The

Trivia:

Jeff Danna who is the credited composer did not score the movie. There is no score in the actual film but he did write music for the title and end credit sequences. He also arranged a classical piece used as source music.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The movie suggests that two crematoria were destroyed during the rebellion. In reality only crematorium 4 was destroyed.

Quotes:

Hoffman: [outside the gas chamber] You're all fine! The quicker you get undressed, the quicker you'll be clean, settled and reunited with your families.
Morris, Man with Watch: Filthy liar.
Hoffman: Remember the number of the hook you hang your clothes on!
Morris, Man with Watch: He's a liar! I can't believe it's Jews doing this!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Roses from the South, Opus 388

THE GREY ZONE is so good it's literally painful to watch.

This might not sound like a recommendation, but when you consider the film's subject matter, "painful" is actually a good word to describe THE GREY ZONE's brilliance. Director Tim Blake Nelson has crafted a fascinating portrayal of the Sonderkomando, Jewish concentration-camp prisoners who help the Nazis in order to ensure for themselves a few extra months of life, as well as creature comforts denied to the other prisoners. The script and cast are equally effective. David Arquette proves himself to be not merely the idiot bastard son of the Arquette family with a powerful performance; Harvey Kietel and Steve Buscemi are brilliant as always. The film's real strength, making it the greatest Holocaust film I've ever seen, is its relevance; we may think ourselves to noble to sell out our brethren to save our own lives, but we would certainly reconsider if actually faced with this choice. In the end, Nelson brilliantly implies that perhaps the nightmare world of the Sonderkomando is really not so different from our own workaday reality.