ida is the name of the young lady about to take her vows
but prior to that mother superior suggests meeting her aunt
so the opening scenes thankfully move out from the sterile convent
polish director pawel pawlikowski setting his intent from the first scene
this film is going to be as much about cinematography as it as about content
sublime black and white filming with very deliberate staged and clever settings
so i settle in for taking in the obvious superb filming and see where the story goes
we're in poland in the 1960's so b&w perfectly represents the austere times
winter as well so there's snow, layers of clothing and bleakness in the mix
ida's aunt is a chain-smoking, alcohol-imbibing, depressed judge
upon meeting ida she wastes no time in telling her she is jewish
the aunt's son and ida's parents taken and killed by the nazis
ida left with the nuns and raised in the convent as a catholic
the two of them then set out on a journey to get some answers
or at least find where they have been buried and do the right thing
this transpires with the confession of the polish soldier responsible
a re-burial in the family grave is completed and the aunt/niece closer for it
lots of opportunity for emotion but little displayed or evoked for the viewers
there's the introduction of a jazz musician and some hint of a love interest
as suspected the stunning camera-work making the journey worthwhile
finding it a bit difficult to engage with the slow and deliberate pace
(and me thinking ahead - this one is going to be hard one to blog)
ida is drawn back to the convent - aunt resumes her sad life
a judge by day and a lonely drunk one night stander at night
and then - a film-changing scene and we are fully engaged
ida returns from the convent and tries an alternative lifestyle
hits the bottle, drags on the ciggies, partners up with the musician
he's a sax player - he playing coltrane with the band as she looks on
great scene - powerful music and setting up for what comes next
ida moving further away from a nun's life and testing matters of the heart
we're heading off to a happily-ever-after conclusion in this film
and happy to go with that too - seems a very natural ending
but - when she innocently questions what is in store for them
he says - a dog, marriage, a house, children - normal life stuff
the next and final scene sees her heading back to the convent
this is totally unexpected - a powerful end to this superb film
the obvious question - why is life in a convent so appealing
for an orphaned girl with no family it is her only home
especially after a lifetime of indoctrination and shelter
thought-provoking and like the publicity stated...
- it haunted me - i can't wait to see it again -
i'd definitely be up for that...
