Ida
A novice and her disillusioned aunt cross 1960s Poland to uncover a family past that unsettles faith, identity, and belonging.
Overview
A profound journey of self-discovery unfolds against a backdrop of historical tragedy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- melancholic
- contemplative
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaimed the film as an austere, empathetically written historical drama distinguished by powerful acting and breathtaking black-and-white cinematography.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film is shot in carefully composed black and white, with negative space and restrained imagery dominating its visual identity.
Anna and Wanda's search for their family story brings Catholicism, Jewish identity, antisemitism, communism, and wartime loss into the same moral inquiry.
Anna is a novice preparing to take vows while learning about her Jewish roots and entering a world beyond the convent.
Anna and Wanda travel across Poland seeking answers about their family's tragic history and Anna's origins.
Films like Ida, and why
The White Ribbon
austere black-and-white historical drama examining faith, memory, and national trauma through restrained performances
The Lives of Others
quiet European character drama confronting religious belief, family history, and the moral aftermath of political violence
The Black Hen
minimalist black-and-white road movie about identity, family secrets, and a young woman confronting an unsettling past
Movie Details
- Director
- Paweł Pawlikowski
- Release Date
- 2013-10-25
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (1100)
Cast
- Agata Trzebuchowska
- Agata Kulesza
- Dawid Ogrodnik
- Jerzy Trela
- Adam Szyszkowski
- Halina Skoczyńska
- Joanna Kulig
- Dorota Kuduk
- Natalia Łągiewczyk
- Afrodyta Weselak
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, MUBI, OVID, Chai Flicks, MUBI Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Klassiki, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ida about?
- A novice and her disillusioned aunt cross 1960s Poland to uncover a family past that unsettles faith, identity, and belonging.
- What is Ida like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ida as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Ida violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ida as mild.
- What did critics think of Ida?
- Critics broadly acclaimed the film as an austere, empathetically written historical drama distinguished by powerful acting and breathtaking black-and-white cinematography.
- Which films are like Ida?
- Films with a similar feel include The White Ribbon, The Lives of Others, and The Black Hen.
- How long is Ida?
- Ida runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ida?
- In United States, Ida streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, MUBI, OVID, Chai Flicks, MUBI Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Klassiki, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
