Am not familiar with Loach, so I can't comment on the whiff 
So far it's one feature for both of them...but it seems Pawlikowski is as honestly interested in people and their fates as Loach. 
Interesting Top Ten list by Pawlikowski. Haven't seen everything on it yet, but "Do you remember Dolly Bell?" (1981) is definitely recommended. Kusturica's first feature feels sometimes like a Czech New Wave movie, and it is probably the most sober film we will get from him.