„Ida” (“Ida”), directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, running time: 80’, 2013.
Ida – possibly one of the best and undoubtedly one of the most critically acclaimed Polish films of recent years. Auteur cinema at its finest as evidenced by a salvo of awards bestowed upon Pawlikowski and his associates. The film is a story of a brief if emotionally charged meeting between young Ida (Agata Trzebuchowska), a young nun about to take her vows and become inextricably linked with the Church, and her aunt Wanda (Agata Kulesza’s brilliant performance). Wanda’s past is loaded with tension as during the height of anti-Western sensibilities that characterised Poland’s post-war communist regime she was a state prosecutor, nicknamed “bloody Wanda” due to her overzealous professional conduct. What can possibly link these two seemingly distant women? Will they be able to listen to each other? Throughout his masterpiece, Pawlikowski poses a number of questions, providing potential answers in a subtle and elegant way that is simultaneously engaging and leaves a lot of room for audience’s interpretation. “Ida” marks the return of Polish cinema to the best traditions of auteur cinematography. Mandatory viewing!
Original audio with Polish subtitles.
Free admission.