Ida

Drama | Polish, French, Latin with English subtitles | 82 minutes

Info

In 1960s communist Poland, Anna, a young novice, is told by her prioress, before taking her final vows, she must visit her aunt, Wanda Gruz, her only surviving relative. Anna visits Wanda in Warsaw. The chain-smoking, hard-drinking Wanda tells a shocked Anna that her actual name is Ida Lebenstein. Ida’s parents were Jewish and murdered during the World War II German occupation of Poland. Wanda encourages Ida before taking her final vows she should experience “worldly sins and pleasures.” Ida meets Lis, a saxophone player in a local hangout. After hours, Ida goes to the club and watches as the band wraps up. Lis and Ida are drawn together. However, Ida is driven to visit her parents’ graves. They track down a Christian farmer, Feliks Skiba. Feliks killed Ida’s parents and then brought the infant Ida to a convent. Wanda also had an infant daughter but she was dark and looked Jewish. Feliks also killed Wanda’s daughter. Profoundly affected by these revelations, Wanda’s life becomes tragic while Ida must make a heart-wrenching decision: Should she take up with Lis or return to the convent?

Cast

Yalitza Aparicio (Cleo) / Marina de Tavira (Sofia) / Fernando Grediaga (Antonio)

Why Stream This Film?

It’s rare that such a worthy film, still running in theaters and nominated for 10 Oscars, is also available for streaming.

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 96%
Metacritic Score: 91

Accolades

Academy Awards: Winner, Best Foreign Language Film
BAFTA Awards: Winner, Best Foreign Language Film
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Winner, Best Foreign Film; Best Supporting Actress (Agata Kulesza)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Winner, Best Foreign Language Film

WATCH THE TRAILER