It was the most unlikely countries that turned out the most winning surprises at this year's Edinburgh Film Festival. America, France, the UK, Spain, Australia-- they all had their hits (and misses)-- but it was little corners of our world like Jordan (Captain Abu Raed) and Sweden (Paradise) that bowled me over with an unexpectedly potent charm from their festival submissions. Polish writer and director Dorota Kedzierzawska provides the other enormous surprise I experienced a few weeks ago with her black and white masterpiece, Time to Die. The film is nowhere near as morbid or action-packed as the title might insinuate. It is a beautiful and leisurely paced exhibition of the talents of one well-seasoned and gracefully aged Polish actress (93 year-old Danuta Szaflarska) and a bright and lovable collie that would give Lassie a run for her money. Szaflarska plays Aniela, who lives in large country home whose former glory and majesty is cloaked beneath years of decay and inattention. Aniela lives a quiet life with her dog Phila, interrupted only by rowdy children at a music school run by neighbors on one side, a rich and presumptuous couple wanting to buy her property on the other side, and occasional visits from her inept and less-than-perfect son and her snotty brat of a granddaughter. These interruptions are enough to stir her from her widow's torpor of meaningless routine and relentless reminiscing on bygone days though. Aniela, again portrayed with breathtaking gumption and spark by Szaflarska, sees the sun of her life preparing to set and decides to set her affairs in order in a way that will please her most. She holds her cards tightly to her chest throughout the film, both from the prying eyes of the other characters in the story as well as from the audience, and seeing how events unfold and conniving conspirators get comeuppance while unsuspecting benefactors are rewarded is an immeasurable pleasure. Time to Die is a showcase of a fantastic actress of remarkable years imbuing in a character intelligence, humor, pathos, and an attitude not to be regarded lightly by those that very much do regard it lightly. She and this picture are stunning and uncompromising. And the dog is great too!