Zimna Wojna (aka Cold War) (2018)

In 1949 Poland, a musical director (Tomasz Kot) mentors a young singer (Joanna Kulig). The film then follows their tempestuous love affair through the ensuing 20 years and reflecting the political landscape of the times. Co-written and directed by Pawel Pawlikowski (IDA), this stark romance shot in B&W and in the Academy ratio of 1.37 is one of the most unique love stories you'll ever see. The title refers less to the political climate of communist Poland but the cold war between the two lovers who can never seem to find the right balance in their relationship as they fight each other, betray each other yet can never break the bond that holds them together. In this age of bloated film making, I loved how Pawlikowski pared down his story which covers 20 years to the essentials and results in a concise narrative which has a running time of less than 90 minutes! Kulig gives a superb performance. Her character is hard to decipher and often unlikable (does "love" justify questionable behavior?) but you can't judge her. Tomasz Kot has the less flashy role but his performance anchors the film. It's not a musical but music plays an important role in the film's account. A must see!