Elaina Patton interviews the director Pawel Pawlikowski, whose new film, “Cold War,” tells a love story that spans Europe over the course of decades.

Poland has selected Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War as its submission for consideration in the best foreign-language film Oscar category.. Cold War, a critically acclaimed story of an ill-fated ...

But his allegiance is to Zula, no more dependable a mistress than Poland herself. Like Ida, Cold War was shot by Lukasz Zal in icy black-and-white and an almost-square format.