‘The Housewife’ Director Says His Nazi Period Drama Echoes Today’s ‘Grossly Polarized World’

Ben Shirinian, the director of “The Housewife,” aimed to illustrate how hate can become "normalized" in his new period drama set in New York during the 1960s. Speaking at TheWrap’s studio during the Toronto International Film Festival, Shirinian explained how his film, inspired by real events, reveals how hate starts small and spreads into daily life.

He emphasized that today's "grossly polarized world" underscores the relevance of the film’s themes, which focus on antisemitism, among other forms of hate. Shirinian noted that "hate doesn’t announce itself. It can hide behind familiarity until it slowly becomes ordinary." The film tells the story of a young Times journalist investigating a suspected Nazi officer and his seemingly ordinary wife, played by Naomi Watts.

As they delve deeper, the investigation becomes increasingly unsettling. Shirinian urged the audience to recognize that hate becomes most dangerous when it blends in with everyday life, urging them to be vigilant and morally courageous in the face of such hatred. He wanted viewers to feel discomfort and question their perceptions, revealing the film’s core message that the real horror lies not just in the actions themselves, but in the empathy people feel for those who act. "The Housewife" is distributed internationally by Neon and premiered at TIFF.