Holocaust Techniques In The Film Ida

The 2013 film, Ida, tells the story of a young novice, Ida, in 1960s Poland, who is on the verge of taking her vows as a nun, discovering her family’s hidden past that causes her to question her entire life. Before Ida, an orphan raised in a convent, can take her vows, the mother superior encourages her to meet her only living relative, Aunt Wanda. The aunt, who is a Communist and a prosecutor, informs Ida of her Jewish heritage and the unknown death of her parents during the German occupation. With curiosity instilled in both characters, they go on a road trip to locate the farmer who hid Ida’s parents during the war to uncover the truth about their death. Overall, the film’s purpose was to show the role of Christian Poles in the Holocaust …show more content…
One technique that set the tone of the film was the use of black-and-white footage. This allowed viewers to gain a feeling of the past while watching Ida. The props and scenery also added a realistic feeling to the film due its accuracy of the 1960s. For example, one scene was dedicated to Ida packing her belongings in a vintage suitcase. This helped viewers understand the time-period of the film. As for the scenery, outstanding footage of nature was filmed, which added beauty to the scenes.
Furthermore, the cinematic techniques played a major role in depicting the story of Ida. Due to the many silent scenes in the film, the music was extremely effective. Not only did viewers hear the music, but the characters were physically listening to the songs as well. This helped the viewers feel what the characters were experiencing. For example, Ida and her aunt have many awkward scenes when they first meet. The viewers can feel the tension in the scene due to the background music. Also, the camera angels added emotion to the film due to it zooming on Ida’s face expressions, like when Ida discovers her heritage. All in all, the film, Ida, used techniques that helped tell the story of a young