Another gem from writer-director Pawel Pawiilowski

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2019)

"Cold War" 2018 release from Poland; original title "Zimna wojna"; 90 min.) brings the story of Wiktor and Zula. As the movie opens, it is "Poland, 1946", and Wictor and several others are driving around in rural Poland, taping various local (mostly folksy) songs. Then they go recruit rural singers to form an ensemble of singing and dancing. Among those auditioning is Zula, and she catches Wiktor's attention right away/ Meanwhile, the Communist Party sees a great opportunity to use the ensemble for political purposes... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: the last time we heard from writer-director Pawel Pawlikowski was when the stunning film "Ida" was released some 3-4 years ago,, to universal acclaim (and winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Movie). It was one of my favorite films of that year. Now he returns with another post-WW II story, but that is where the parallel ends. Let me state upfront that "Cold War" is plot-heavy, and hence I will not say another word what happens or doesn't happen. Instead let me heap praise on its two lead performers: Joanna Kullig (as Zula) and Tomacsa Kot (as Wiktor) are both outstanding. The movie, like "Ida" is shot in striking B&W, and moreover shows in an almost (but not quite) 1:1 ratio. One caution: there is a LOT of singing and dancing in the movie (although the movie is NOT a musical), so if you don't care for music, you may want to consider something else. At the end of the movie, we see that Pawlikowski dedicates the film "to my parents", and in fact the movie is loosely based on them.
"Cold War" premiered at last year's Cannes festival, to (once again) immediate and universal acclaim (Pawlikowski won "Best Director"). No big surprise then that when the Oscar nominations were announced recently, "Cold War" picked up 3 nominations: Best Foreign Language Movie, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. I don't know that it will win, though, as it is up against "Roma", an even better film (with 10 Oscar nominations). Regardless, "Cold War" is another gem from writer-director Pawel Pawiilowski. :Cold War: opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and the Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended ok but not great (about 15 people). If you are in the mood for a top-notch foreign film shot in beautiful B&W, do yourself a favor and check out "Cold War", be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Cold War" is a WINNER.