"a haunting and visually stunning film by director Lucile Hadžihalilović"

Unveiled at this year’s Berlinale Official Competition, The Ice Tower is a haunting and visually stunning film by director Lucile Hadžihalilović. Drawing inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, the film takes the shape of a dark fairy tale while exploring the brutal realities faced by dreamers in a world that often feels cold and unwelcoming.

Set in the 1970s, the story follows 16-year-old Jeanne (Clara Pacini), who escapes from a mountain orphanage, drawn by the distant city lights. She finds refuge in a film studio where a movie adaptation of The Snow Queen is in production, starring the enigmatic actress Marion Cotillard as Cristina. Jeanne is immediately drawn to Cristina, and as their connection deepens, the lines between film and reality begin to blur, leading Jeanne down a path where dreams and obsession come at a cost.

Hadžihalilović builds the story with intensity, showing how ambition and loneliness intertwine. The film reflects on the sacrifices made in pursuit of something greater, whether in art, love, or personal identity. It’s a chilling, slow-burning narrative that doesn’t rush to explain itself but instead lets the audience feel its weight.

The pacing is slow at first, but once it pulls you in, it becomes hypnotic. The cinematography plays a huge role in creating that effect—every frame feels carefully composed, amplifying the film’s dreamlike quality. The theme of artistic obsession and the sacrifices demanded by creative passion also appears subtly in the background, like The Red Shoesposter that makes a brief, almost unnoticed appearance in one scene.

The Ice Tower may not resonate with everyone, but for those who have placed their trust in the wrong hands—especially in the film industry—it carries a weight that is hard to shake.

Marion Cotillard is mesmerizing as Cristina, bringing a mix of mystery and fragility beneath her icy presence. Clara Pacini, in her feature debut, is equally impressive, capturing Jeanne’s quiet determination and growing obsession with incredible nuance. There is a clear intention to make her look like Amélie, perhaps too obviously reinforcing the idea that she is a dreamer.

The Ice Tower is unsettling and poetic. It unmistakably echoes the MeToo movement in France, weaving its themes into a hauntingly layered story.