Music Box Make a Vow; Pawlikowski’s “Ida” Receives Foreign Oscar Support

A helping hand is always appreciated when it comes to the foreign film Oscar race.  It begins with about 60 submissions from countries such as Albania all the way to Vietnam, and then dwindles down to about nine and then a lucky five format. Today’s pick-up of the Telluride/Toronto shown Ida, might benefit Poland’s bid for 2013. After projects failed to materialize, personal family matter issues and a tepid response to The Woman in the Fifth, Pawel Pawlikowski the brilliant helmer behind Last Resort and My Summer of Love finds himself back in the winner’s circle with Ida and a pick-up from Music Box Films. Screen Daily reports that a winter/spring North American festival campaign followed by a late second quarter 2014 theatrical release is expected.

Gist: Agata Trzebuchowska plays Anna opposite Polish star Agata Kulesza in the story of a young nun in 1960s Poland who discovers her Jewish roots and an aunt she never knew she had, who was once a notorious Stalinist judge. Together they go on the road to uncover the truth about her past.

Worth Noting: The FIPRESCI Prize winning title was shot in B&W and used a 1.37:1 Academy frame for the film.

Do We Care?: A welcome return to form and distinct visual approach to date the film (think of Pablo Larraín’s No in terms of approach), Pawlikowski’s first film in his native Poland has received strong critical support – we look forward in catching up with the film before the year’s end.