Sound steals focus from the start. In Jonathan Glazer’s astonishing, Oscar-nominated The Zone of Interest, the atrocities being committed inside Auschwitz are never seen, only heard.

Background noise also imposes itself when I meet the British filmmaker in Camden, north London. The old-fashioned spaghetti house he has chosen for us is blaring an incongruous soundtrack of upbeat vintage chart hits that we are told cannot be turned down. I cast an anxious glance at my recorder and hope that it’s picking up our conversation as well as Wham!, 4 Non Blondes and Toploader.

Lunchtime has already come and gone, but neither of us has much of an appetite. “I had a late breakfast,” explains Glazer, a warm and engaging presence. “It was quite a big breakfast because I barely ate last night at that thing.”