Refocus: The Films of Pawel Pawlikowski - (Refocus: The International Directors) by Elzbieta Ostrowska & Joanna Rydzewska (Hardcover)

About the Book

The first book-length study of the oeuvre of Oscar-winning British-Polish director, Pawel Pawlikowski.

Book Synopsis

Recognised as one of the most significant contemporary directors, Pawel Pawlikowski achieved global acclaim with the Academy Award-winning Ida (2013). ReFocus: The Films of Pawel Pawlikowski is the first book-length study of the director's illustrious career, spanning nearly four decades and two countries - Great Britain and Poland. This volume traces Pawlikowski's artistic journey, from early, lesser-known BBC documentaries to breakthrough international successes like Last Resort (2000), My Summer of Love (2004), and the critically acclaimed Cold War (2018).

Through in-depth analysis of his films, the book uncovers recurring themes such as identity, love, memory, and journeys, often set against historical and social upheavals. It examines his distinctive style - marked by minimalist visuals - arguing that with atmospheric modernist aesthetics, Pawlikowski not only consciously develops the tradition of European art film but also demonstrates the continued significance of authorship in a transnational context.

Review Quotes

Spanning nations (Poland, England, France and back to Poland), media (television documentaries and fiction films) and four decades in the life and work of Pawel Pawlikowski, this thorough, well-argued, and revealing account of his art and career deepens and complicates auteurist readings of Last Resort, My Summer of Love, Cold War and Ida amongst lesser known works that are given equal attention, and results in an important work of transnational film scholarship.-- "Rob Stone, Emeritus Professor of Film Studies"

This book is a tour de force in auteur scholarship. Ostrowska and Rydzewska offer not only the first comprehensive study of Pawel Pawlikowski's body of work but also a groundbreaking contribution to contemporary debates on authorship in transnational cinema. Their concept of 'neoliberal authorship' is as timely as it is insightful, illuminating the evolving conditions of artistic autonomy within today's global media industries. With meticulous textual analysis and deep contextual grounding, this volume will become an indispensable reference for scholars of European cinema and global film authorship.-- "Alice Bardan, Associate Professor, Mount Saint Mary's University (Los Angeles)"