In the haunting "Ida", Anna (Agata Trzebuchowska) plays a novice nun in 1960's Poland who as an orphan has spent her life raised in a convent. Before she goes to take her vows, her Mother Superior encourages that she meet with a relative, a stranger to Anna. Her aunt Wanda (Agata Kulesza) becomes the family she has never known. Wanda is a judge and Communist Party member, an alcoholic and promiscuous woman whose troubles seem deeply embedded. Wanda's life has positioned her worlds away from her young niece, but she holds shattering secrets and reveals to Ida stark truths about their family history. "Ida" unfolds slowly and with stretches of little dialogue, but is incredibly affecting. Sometimes it is even the slightest look that conveys the deepest meaning to what a character is feeling. This is most on display in Anna's meetings with a young saxophone player at a nearby jazz club.
It is no wonder that "Ida" has been noted (and Oscar nominated) for its haunting black and white cinematography, exposing a Polish countryside where you almost feel the bitter cold through the screen. The film does an exquisite job in illustrating that life is a journey of discovery and that we must often venture into the unknown to fully uncover our own beliefs. Director Pawel Pawlikowski has crafted a film that asks questions about how one processes and handles the truth about the past in order to decide a future path.
"Ida" is now available for viewing in the U.S. on Netflix.
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