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A Journey of Discovery

The Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film from 2015 transports us back to 1960’s Poland, where a young nun named Ida (also the name of the movie) will soon be taking her vows.

Prior to doing so, the inexperienced girl takes a trip to visit the only family she has left living, an aunt named Wanda that she has never met. The two are very much the opposite – Ida is a sheltered and conservative girl whereas her aunt is a world-weary and rather loose woman.

Ida is interested in finding out more about her family history. She soon discovers that her parents were Jewish and not Roman Catholic as she had assumed. The soon-to-be nun and her aunt head out to visit her parent’s prewar home and search for answers as to where her family’s unmarked graves lie. They are not greeted with the warmest of receptions, but with perseverance they slowly begin to unravel the tragic mystery of her family’s history.

This motion picture cannot be described as fast paced, but the slow, methodical footsteps in which director Pawel Pawlikowski unfolds the sad history of the girl’s family is beautifully done. Pawlikowski, along with cinematographers Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski create a black and white masterpiece that is filmed in the boxy aspect ratio of 1.37:1 (forcing the viewer to imagine much of what is going on off the screen). The camera is also almost always static and tilted slightly upwards (until the very end – which creates a jarring final shot), giving the movie a very original and stunning look.

The acting must also be commended. Agata Tryebuchowska, who plays Ida, is brilliant as the young nun. We, as viewers, not only watch her grow as she struggles with newfound freedoms and ultimately succeeds in keeping her faith, but are also able to witness this young actress flourish onscreen. She was actually found by accident on the street and had never even considered acting – making the rivetting performance all the more impressive. Agata Kulesza is excellent as Wanda. She is able to portray a woman who has both witnessed too many horrors as well as performed too many herself (she was a former high prosecutor in the Communist Party – giving her the nickname of ‘Red Wanda’). It is the mix of these two very different characters that helps drive the movie in interesting ways.

The music also stands out. The film mixes together classical compositions with sultry jazz songs that are performed by a band onscreen. Not only are these tunes beautifully selected, but the sparks that fly between Ida and the band’s saxophonist (Dawid Ogrodnik) add a nuanced layer to the confusion and evolution Ida must go through.

Despite this film’s somewhat depressing sounding plot-line, the story is able transcend this sense and bring forth a feeling of hope. We see this young girl not only survive, but grow through all of these intense discoveries and ordeals. The film shows that despite labels we place on ourselves and others, we can still come through it all with a great spirit of faith.

This film did extremely well on the festival circuit, winning the Critics’ Prize at TIFF, Best Film at BFI London Film Festival, was an Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival and was an Official Selection at the Telluride Film Festival (as well as winning the coveted Oscar for Best Foreign Film). Ida truly captures this historic time period in a unique and impressive way. So, for a change of habit, give this film a try.

Ida
March 6, 2016
by Nikolai Adams
7.5
Ida
Written By:
Pawel Pawlikowski (screenplay), Rebecca Lenkiewicz (screenplay)
Runtime:
82 minutes
Actors:
Agata Kulesza, Agata Trzebuchowska, Dawid Ogrodnik, Jerzy Trela

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