7.4/10
52,502
151 user 294 critic

Ida (2013)

Trailer
1:58 | Trailer
A novice nun about to take her vows uncovers a family secret dating back to the German occupation.

Director:

Pawel Pawlikowski

Writers:

Pawel Pawlikowski (screenplay), Rebecca Lenkiewicz (screenplay)
Won 1 Oscar. Another 67 wins & 89 nominations. See more awards »

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Photos

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Agata Kulesza ... Wanda
Agata Trzebuchowska ... Anna
Dawid Ogrodnik ... Lis
Jerzy Trela ... Szymon
Adam Szyszkowski ... Feliks
Halina Skoczynska Halina Skoczynska ... Mother Superior
Joanna Kulig ... Singer
Dorota Kuduk Dorota Kuduk ... Kaska
Natalia Lagiewczyk Natalia Lagiewczyk ... Bronia
Afrodyta Weselak Afrodyta Weselak ... Marysia
Mariusz Jakus ... Barman
Izabela Dabrowska ... Waitress
Artur Janusiak Artur Janusiak ... Policeman
Anna Grzeszczak Anna Grzeszczak ... Neighbour
Jan Wojciech Poradowski Jan Wojciech Poradowski ... Father Andrew (as Jan Wociech Poradowski)
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Storyline

Poland, 1962. Anna, an orphan brought up by nuns in the convent, is a novice. She has to see Wanda, the only living relative, before she takes her vows. Wanda tells Anna about her Jewish roots. Both women start a journey not only to find their family's tragic story, but to see who they really are and where they belong. They question what they used to believe in. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

poland | nun | 1960s | jew | convent | See All (185) »

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

12 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Agata Trzebuchowska, a student with no prior acting experience. See more »

Goofs

When Ida is in a church, the priest seems to be getting ready to say Mass and we see a versus populum altar, which didn't become the norm until years later after Vatican II. The movie takes place in 1961 and the priest would have been saying Mass on the high altar. See more »

Quotes

Wanda: What sort of sacrifice are these vows of yours?
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Connections

Featured in The EE British Academy Film Awards (2015) See more »

Soundtracks

Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551 - 'Jupiter': II. Andante cantabile
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(1788)
See more »

User Reviews

 
Extraordinary film. Don't miss it!
13 June 2014 | by Red-125See all my reviews

Ida (2013) is a Polish film co-written and directed by Pawel Pawlikowski. This brilliant film follows a few days in the life of Anna, a young novitiate nun. Anna has been raised in a convent, and she plans to take her vows and stay in the convent for the rest of her life.

However, before this can take place, the mother superior sends her to meet her only living relative, a woman named Wanda.

The pair could not be less similar. Ida is quiet, gentle, thoughtful, and shy. Her aunt is tough as nails--she has real power as a judge, and she knows how to use it. She's a heavy drinker and a heavy smoker. She's also a Jew.

In the first few minutes of the movie, Anna learns that she's Jewish. As a very young girl, she was taken to the convent, where the nuns raised her. (Her real name is Ida, which is why that's the title of the film.)

Wanda and Anna set out to return to their rural home, to solve the mystery of what happened to their family 20 years earlier. Why did Ida survive, when her family--other than Wanda--did not?

This film, shot in black & white, is superbly constructed on every dimension. The plot is tight, and the acting is incredible. Agata Kulesza (Wanda) and Agata Trzebuchowska (Anna/Ida), are immensely talented actors.

The cinematography is incomparable. My wife and I felt as if any frame--from the beginning to the end of the movie--would make a great still photograph.

Pawlikowski knows how to focus on his main actors, but he also lets us know that, while the protagonists are involved in heartbreaking drama, the rest of the world is going about its business around them.

This is a grim film. Anna's life is restricted by her piety. Wanda's life is constricted by alcohol and--it would appear--by lack of any close personal relationships. Everyone in Poland is restricted by horrible memories, dark secrets, and Soviet domination.

Grim or not, this is a film you shouldn't pass up if you care about great cinema. We saw it on a large screen at the LittleTheatre in Rochester, NY. However, it will work well enough on DVD. Don't miss it.


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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook | Official site | See more »

Country:

Poland | Denmark | France | UK

Language:

Polish | Latin | French

Release Date:

27 March 2014 (Netherlands) See more »

Also Known As:

Sister of Mercy See more »

Filming Locations:

Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland See more »

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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$55,438, 4 May 2014

Gross USA:

$3,827,060

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,156,836
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »

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