Pawel Pawlikowskiis a Polish writer and director behind internationally acclaimed films such asIdaandCold War.Having started out as a documentary filmmaker in the ’80s and ’90s, Pawlikowski’sfilms are steeped in real historical narratives with a degree of lyricism and irony interwoven within them.
Pawlikowski rose to fame withSerbian Epicsin 1992,but his stature as a filmmaker of international acclaim was cemented withIda,seeing himwin the 2015 Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. In 2018, the Polish director added another feather to his cap by winning the Best Director award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival forCold War.Currently, Pawlikowski is gearing up for his next film, titledThe Island,with Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara in the lead roles.
10The Woman in the Fifth (2011)
The Woman in the Fifth
The Woman in the Fifthsees Ethan Hawke staras an American writer, Tom Ricks, who’s taking a sabbatical in Paris to recover from a seething divorce. There, he meets a mysterious woman, Magrit (Kristin Scott), who is as seductive as she is tight-lipped, sucking Tom into her enigmatic world where nothing is as it seems.
A Romance That Turns Into a Thriller
Staying true to the narrative, Pawlikowski’s film doesn’t give off too many clues and starts off as a mystery before turning into a full-blown thriller. The film isn’t Pawlikowski’s best by any measure, but can be enjoyed due to its moody cinematography and Hawke’s aloof charm.
Stream on Tubi
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9The Stringer (1998)
WithThe Stringer,Pawlikowski tries to cross-breed Russian and British sensibilities into one by creating a film that’s shot in Russia but feels British through and through. Set in post-Cold War Russia, the film tells the story ofa young news cameramanwho falls in love with an English media executive and subsequently faces a barrage of cultural barriers in the quest for his love.
A Comical Take on Love Across Different Cultures
The redeeming quality aboutThe Stringeris that it doesn’t take itself too seriously by painting a gloomy picture of cultural diversity, but rather uses an offbeat approach to comedy that’s largely derived from Sergey Bodrov’s comic presence and Pawlikowski’s wacky screenplay.
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8My Summer of Love (2004)
My Summer of Love
My Summer of Lovefollows the bond of two young women who come from different walks of life, but share one thing in common: dysfunctional families. A tale of obsession, deception, and love, Pawlikowski’s film explores the complexity of human nature, while also commenting on the significance of upbringing or the lack of it.
A Coming-of-Age Summer Romance with a Twist
Pawlikowski’s film paints a dreamy picture of a summer romance that has its fair share of highs and lows. Loosely based on Helen Cross’ book,My Summer of Lovetends to meander quite a bit, coming off as a mood piece rather than a film that has a destination and does everything to move towards it.
Rent on Apple TV
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7Twockers (1998)
A hybrid between a documentary and drama,Twockersis set against the backdrop of the West Yorkshire council estate and enacts the lives of the young people in the area, with a particular focus on a 17-year-old named Trevor, who burgles houses while also writing poetry for his next-door neighbor and muse, Amie.
An Interesting Mix Between Drama and Documentary
Twockersis a short BBC drama/documentary that Pawlikowski co-directed with Ian Duncan. The film serves as a milestone in Pawlikowski’s documentary career, showing his initial ambition for fiction while mostly being shot and treated like a documentary. Pawlikowski deals with social realism with great maturity, capturing the ethos of the area without interfering, yet managing to also structure the narrative of the material.
6Tripping with Zhirinovsky (1995)
Tripping withZhirinovskyis a candid BBC documentary that provides a deeper look into Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s life. Notorious for his controversial views, Zhirinovsky majorly aligned and encouraged Russia’s military aggression to take control over countries that had once fallen under the Russian Empire.
A Wacky Portrait of a Volatile Politician
Pawlikowski’s documentary objectively captures Zhirinovsky’s enigma and eccentricity, undercutting the politician’s persona with a boring set of reactions from the people he’s preaching to. This contrast creates an accurate portrait of the politician’s created image along with the reality of matters, with many critics and supporters not knowing how and where to place the documentary.
5Last Resort (2000)
Last Resortis centered around a Russian woman, Tanya, who leaves Moscow with her 10-year-old to meet her English fiancée in London, but when he doesn’t show up at the airport, Tanya is forced to stay in London and apply for optical asylum, which leads her to a grimy resort where refuges are housed.
A Gritty Look Into the Life of an Immigrant
Pawlikowski’sLast Resortis a gentle film that is reminiscent of the grittyrealism of a Ken Loach dramaand captures the chaos of an immigrant’s life, navigating faulty systems and waiting for hope in despair.Last Resortis one of Pawlikowski’s more intimate films that tugs at your heartstrings in a gentle and melancholic way without milking the melodrama.
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4Serbian Epics (1992)
A study of extreme nationalism and the violence it bequeaths,Serbian Epicsis one of Pawlikowski’s initial documentaries that really put him on the map. The TVdocumentary revolves around the Bosnian Warthat took place between 1992 and 1995, following the partisan of Bosnia from Serbia.
A Bizarre Tapestry of Myths and Nationalism
AlthoughSerbian Epicshas a few fight sequences, it primarily deals with the power of mythology and how it can be manipulated to fuel national causes. Pawlikowski objectively captures the Serbian aggressors and shows them as simple mountain folk who are misled into believing that they are defending their land.Serbian Epicsintricately highlights the tragedies of the past and paints a sad and scary picture of Serbia’s self-serving narrative, posing pertinent questions and moments of unrest throughout the film.
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3Ida (2013)
Set in the ’60s in Poland,Idafollows the story of a young nun named Anna who prepares to take her final vows, but before doing so, she visits her aunt, who informs her that she’s actually a Jew named Ida, whose parents were killed during the Nazi occupation of Poland. With her world being rocked, Anna goes on an incredible journey to visit her parents' graves and find out the truth about her life.
IfSerbian Epicsput Pawlikowski on the map,Idaannounced his arrival on the global stage for cinema. The film won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, among other accolades, with many critics regarding it as one of the best black-and-white films of the 21st century.Idaessentiallyplays out as a beautiful and haunting road movie that delivers its pain and anger with a degree of flair and panache.
2Dostoevsky’s Travels (1991)
Dostoevsky’s Travelsis based on the life of Dimitri Dostoevsky, the great-grandson and last living descent of Russian literary genius Fyodor Dostoevsky. Pawlikowski’s film follows Dimitri’s travels to Western Europe, following in his great-grandfather’s footsteps, with the hopes of realizing his dream: owning a Mercedes.
Pawlikowski’s multiple-award-winning documentary captures Dimitri’s bizarre attitude and his polar opposite sensibility from his great-grandfather. Fans of Dostoevsky might be surprised thinking the film will have more depth and gravitas due to the Russian author’s name attached to it, but Pawlikowski subverts expectations and charts out a quirky film that has more to do with capitalism and less to do with Dostoevsky himself.
1Cold War (2018)
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Cold Warcaptures a couple’s broken romance set against the war-torn background of a broken country. The film follows a wiry music conductor, Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and his relationship with a singer named Zula (Joanna Kulig). Fatally mismatched, with the current political climate not doing them any favors, Wiktor and Zula go through a barrage of turbulent emotions and yet manage to be serendipitously drawn to each other.
A Visual Masterpiece
Pawlikowski creates a visually lush world that’s filled with folk music, the entertainment industry, and the constant see-sawing of the political backdrop of the country. Łukasz Żal’s stellar cinematography sets the perfect stage for Pawlikowski’s narrative, which is powered by Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig’s palpable chemistry.Cold Warwas nominated for three Oscars in 2019, including Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography.
