Optical film and optical system

An optical film includes a first optical stack disposed on a visible light absorbing second optical stack. Each of the first and second optical stacks includes a plurality of alternating polymeric first and second layers. The first layers have a higher index of refraction than the second layers at least along an in-plane same first direction. For substantially normally incident light and for at least 80% of wavelengths in a visible wavelength range, the plurality of alternating polymeric first and second layers for at least the first optical stack reflects more than about 60% of the incident light polarized along the first direction and transmits more than about 45% of the incident light polarized along an in-plane orthogonal second direction, and at least the first layers of the second optical stack are more light absorbing for the incident light polarized along the first direction than the second direction.