Ida

A beautifully minimalistic film about a young girl, raised in a convent, who sets out to find her parents’ graves. From the first shot, I was hooke. The cinematography frames every scene like a living painting. I love the contrast between Ida and her aunt; religious vs indifferent, silent vs exuberant, inexperienced vs worldly. It creates a subtle  tension and converts 2 totally different world-views into one. The story speaks mostly through imagery and pacing, saying so much with so little words.  The ending is especially impactful: after her aunt’s suicide, Ida begins to explore the world, yet the film leaves her future at the monastery uncertain, leaving it up to us to think about it, long after the credits roll.  A quiet and elegant piece of cinema on life, faith, and self-discovery, cinematically flawless and emotionally rich and cold at the same time.