Slalom

Set in the French Alps, Slalom follows Lyz, a fifteen year old girl who earns a coveted spot in a fiercely selective ski club intended to churn out future champions. A former star who now coaches, Fred spots something new in her and decides she will be his next triumph, even though she lacks experience. As he becomes both mentor and pressure cooker, Lyz finds herself under an extreme cascade of physical tests and emotionally charged demands. The training blurs the line between guidance and manipulation, and the line between danger and discipline grows faint. With every drill and every quiet moment, the question rises: will Lyz keep fighting for herself, or surrender to the grip of her pushy sponsor?

Slalom is the product of creators Antoine Lacomblez Charlène Favier and Marie Talon. Produced on a lean budget of $860,000, the film anchors its tense story in alpine settings and the intensity of a teenage athlete under pressure throughout production.

Box office numbers for Slalom are not widely reported because of its limited release and art house profile. What can be said is that its commercial footprint mirrors similar dramas with modest earnings and a focus on character over spectacle.

Awards for Slalom have been modest at best, with no major nominations recorded in broad industry awards. The film has nonetheless earned attention in festival circles for its sober depiction of power dynamics in sport and the affecting performance of its young lead. Critics noted its restrained approach by design.

Critics who weighed in highlighted Slalom's spare but powerful look at youth, mentorship, and coercive control. The film lingers on quiet moments and ambiguous loyalties, inviting viewers to consider where ambition ends and consent begins, and how perseverance can tip from resilience into risk without falling into easy moral conclusions.