Pawlikowski’s "Cold War" gets rave reviews in UK

The film, which is a love story between two people of different backgrounds and temperaments, has been hailed in The Guardian as “a sweeping tale of passion and politics set in the shadow of the Iron Curtain.”

The British daily praises Joanna Kulig in the main female role for her “star-making performance of astonishing range and depth.”

The Times, meanwhile, wrote: “Love, politics and creative obsessions collide in this sad and often unutterably beautiful masterpiece from Paweł Pawlikowski. The director, who emigrated from Warsaw to London when he was 14, won the best foreign language film Oscar for his period drama Ida in 2015. Here he demonstrates a significant leap in storytelling prowess with an unerring ability to convey the most revealing character traits with the tiniest of details.”

According to the film magazine Empire, “Visually, you’re unlikely to see a more beautiful film this year ... Pawlikowski is in complete control of the form, but this is no austere piece of work—he even finds time for a few good jokes. Accessible, humane and compassionate: what a treat this is.”

Both critics and film buffs have voiced expectations that Cold War will be named as Poland’s official entry for an Academy Award. The decision is due to be made by the Polish Film Institute at the end of this month.

A Hollywood Reporter critic, Scott Feinberg, writes: “I can't imagine Poland not making the film its entry for best foreign-language film, which would immediately make it a frontrunner for that prize. I would also keep a close eye on Pawlikowski for a best director nom (the directing branch loves to nominate non-American auteurs) and Łukasz Żal, who was Oscar-nominated for his lensing of Ida, for a best cinematography nom ... And, in a fair world, Kulig, a star in Poland who has talent and beauty and magnetism that reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence, would not only be a serious contender for a best actress nom, but would quickly become an in-demand actress in Hollywood, too.”

The movie in May won Pawlikowski the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival in France in what was one of the greatest successes for Polish cinema in decades.

In the coming months, Cold War will be shown at festivals in Toronto and New York.

The film is due to be released on VOD Amazon Prime on December 21.

(mk/gs)