Ida

Dir: Paweł Pawlikowski

2013

*****

I have to admit, I had almost forgotten what a brilliant director Paweł Pawlikowski was. Watching Ida was like watching an amalgamation of Robert Bresson, Carl Theodor Dreyer, Andrei Tarkovsky and Ingmar Bergman, with a hint of Béla Tarr thrown in for good measure. I don't want to take anything away from Pawlikowski, and I understand he took a long time away from the world of film-making to look after his family when his wife became very ill in the mid-00s, but this is in a different league to Last resort (2000) and My Summer of Love (2004) (as much as I love both films) and a far cry from his last film, 2011's The Woman in the Fifth. It is perfect in terms of visuals and in content. Every single shot, and how it is framed is thought out methodically and 'to a t'. Back in art school I learnt the importance of composition, the use of angles, negative space and how invisible lines can draw the viewer’s eyes to the desired destination. In this respect, Ida is a work of pure renaissance, a work by Titian but with a Nouvelle Vague twist. The visuals match the tone and era of early 1960s Poland perfectly, it feels like an epic but is compact and modest. The fact it was nominated for Best Cinematography as well as Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards gives weight to the idea that the Best Foreign Language Film category should be dropped from all film award ceremonies, it is sublime, iconic and speaks volumes. It suits the story perfectly, as there are just as many complex issues explored and expressed there too. Like the beautiful black and white imagery, the story is a contrast of religion, politics, history, pain, peace and life in general. A nun is paired with a hard living communist judge, a Christian is revealed to have been born a Jew, a saviour spawns a murderer and a country becomes the beast it fights against. Ida is history, Ida is life. It's not all bleak though, Jazz and an alternative is introduced as a ray of light on proceedings and it is enough to lead the story down a positive path. It caused a bit of controversy in central Europe regarding how Christians were depicted during the war, it is a bit ridiculous really, as it is never suggested as representative and never feels like it is. It actually feels very authentic, the silent sadness of people rebuilding their lives, not speaking of past horrors and hardship. I understand the call for contextual captions in films that deal with history and politics but to be honest, it just doesn't suit many films, this isn't really a history lesson and if something interests you (or confuses you) you should research it yourself. An accusation of guilt is met with some form of redemption anyway, redemption being one of the main themes of the story. The weight of shear sadness is important, it is an important reminder but it also highlights the shimmers of hope when they make themselves known, there aren't many to be fair but one candle lit in a dark room can make a striking impact. Everything is intentional and even the slightest detail makes a bold statement. Casting a non-actor in the central role was a good move, Agata Trzebuchowska was perfect as Ida and won many awards without any training or even an interest in pursuing an acting career. Agata Kulesza on the other hand is an actor at the very peak of her game, she is exceptional in her complex role and is both captivating and breathtakingly believable. A contemporary classic, the heir to the throne and next in a long line of iconic European masterpieces.