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In Jojo Rabbit after the Gestapo visits Jojo's house and he's wandering around,

he finds his mother hanging in the square.

While he's sitting in the square, the camera cuts a few times to focus on a few different rooftops. These rooftops look (to me) like eyes or faces, the ones at the end of this scene:

house eyes

I have a hunch that there's some special meaning or symbolism behind this, as the movie focus specifically on these houses for a few seconds. What is the significance of this scene?

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I have no citation for this, bit it feels like the houses are looking on.

I have no doubt it is intended that we see the roofs and dormers as 'eyes'.

The entire square of buildings can see this atrocity played out in front of them - one of many they have seen in the past 6 years or more - & we feel their sadness too, as they look on helplessly.

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  • I like this answer, I haven't seen from this angle at first.
    – Luciano
    Mar 12, 2020 at 13:11
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Agree with the First part of @Tetsujin's answer but I interpret the eyes differently.

To me the eyes are that of the Gestapo and other informants, signifying that they are always being watched. The eyes saw his mother and punished her and if Jojo is not careful the eyes will see him too.

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  • I think Tetsujin's answer is good too, but the first angle I framed the scene was your answer. That she did what she could but got caught because someone snitched on her.
    – Luciano
    Mar 12, 2020 at 13:11
  • Again, totally without source, but I would think by that point in the war, informants were becoming harder to find, as people were hoping for an end to the hostilities. We are aware in the plot that the Allies are getting closer.
    – Tetsujin
    Mar 12, 2020 at 13:14

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