The Ice Tower (M)

Partly inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, the film follows Jeanne, a runaway teenage orphan, who finds refuge inside a film studio where a new adaptation of The Snow Queen is being shot. There, she’s drawn into the orbit of Cristina (Cotillard), the production’s enigmatic and emotionally fragile star. 

Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart.

In the 1970s, Jeanne, a 16-year-old orphan, flees her isolated life in the snowbound mountains, drawn to the city she has always dreamed of discovering. Seeking shelter, she slips into what she believes is an abandoned building, only to find herself inside a film studio where a new adaptation of The Snow Queen is being shot.

At the heart of the set reigns Cristina, a magnetic and distant star embodying the icy heroine of Jeanne’s favourite tale. Mesmerised by this artificial kingdom of snow and light, Jeanne manages to blend in among the extras, assuming the identity of a young skater she has observed.

As filming progresses, Cristina becomes aware of the girl’s quiet intensity. A troubling bond begins to form, fuelled by admiration, desire, and control. Jeanne drifts deeper into Cristina’s orbit, surrendering herself to a world where fiction and reality blur. But how far is she willing to go to remain close to the Snow Queen?

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, Lucile Hadžihalilović crafts a hypnotic and unsettling film, where cinema itself becomes a realm of seduction and danger. A chilling coming-of-age story, The Ice Tower explores obsession, power, and the fragile line between enchantment and sacrifice.

Cast: Marion Cotillard, August Diehl, Clara Pacini, Gaspar Noé, Marine Gesbert, Lila-Rose Gilberti

Director: Lucile Hadzihalilovic

★★★★★ "a chilling meta fairy tale" ARTS DESK

★★★★★ "this movie had me gripped with its two outstanding lead performances - from Marion Cotillard and newcomer Clara Pacini - and a clamorous musical score." GUARDIAN

★★★★★ "The Ice Tower is as fragile and delicate as a snowflake, as disorientating and mysterious as adolescence, and as dark as a winter’s night." LWL

★★★★★ "This frosty masterpiece is its own haunted winter wonderland." FINANCIAL TIMES

★★★★★ "hypnotic" IRISH TIMES

★★★★ "Dusted with magic — and more than a little malevolence — this is one of those films you want sink into on a cold winter’s night." EMPIRE

★★★★ "Cotillard and Pacini are a gripping double act, and a subterranean theme of childhood loss provides bonus emotional ballast." TIMES UK

★★★★ "a poetic film that explores the curious nature of youth and the joy of remaining enthralled with life" FLICKERING MYTH