AFFFF26: The Ice Tower

La Tour de Glace

Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart... In the 1970s, Jeanne (Clara Pacini), 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 (Marion Cotillard, Brother and Sister, AF FFF23), 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 observe.

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.

2025 Berlin International Film Festival | Winner: Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution -