INGA, directed by Krzysztof Kopczyński, is an intimate look into a family who has found a new home in Poland amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The film gives a deep and intimate look into five-year-old Inga’s new life with her parents and dogs in Warsaw. The family struggles with the absence of their home as well as both being blind, all while raising Inga and their newborn daughter.

The film bravely traverses multiple emotions that these characters go through. It uses home videos of a young Inga to introduce viewers to this family. I liked the establishment this method gave while also offering me some kind of nostalgic feeling to further connect me to these people. 

While there isn’t any footage of their journey from Ukraine to Poland, the emotional damage they feel from this change is felt in little moments of silence. Many scenes involving Inga hold a strong sense of innocence: Inga is a smart girl but hasn’t quite reached the age of full understanding about the state of her home. The way music and camera work is done to showcase her point of view against the parents is extremely impactful.

There are wholesome moments where Inga is dancing or celebrating and you can’t help but feel the sense of protection that her parents and her grandmother are giving her. These scenes where Inga is celebrating her birthday or is dancing to some upbeat music are briefly interrupted by empty stares or brief moments of silence from the adults around her. This creates various impactful moments in the film. There are little important moments of bliss for this young girl, while you see the struggle in the faces and looks made by her parents. 

About halfway through the film, Inga’s dad returns to their home to grab some of their things. This half of the film is much more dim and quiet in comparison to the first half. I felt an overwhelming sense of sympathy for the dad as he explores important landmarks from a home that has changed so much in such a short time. Many intimate moments are shown here where the viewer is left in silence to reflect with this man who is on a haunting journey of his own. 

There was a moment where the scene went super dark and I could see my reflection in my laptop screen (because unfortunately I had to watch this on a laptop and not in a theatre). It made me reflect and feel gratitude for my situation when I was young compared to these experiences that Inga and many more people on earth are feeling. Yet, the film portrays Inga’s childhood as something positive still, which I hope she will feel when she is older too.

When he returns home, the film spends its last few minutes with Inga in a more upbeat tone again. It left me in reflection as I can really feel for these parents who are doing everything they can to remain positive for their daughter; these moments portray the childlike innocence and bliss needed in a world full of dread.