The Ice Tower

Jeanne, a 15-year-old orphan, attends the shoot for a film adaptation of a well known fairy tale and finds herself spellbound by its star. Cristina, the actress playing the Snow Queen, radiates mystery and appeal that echo the queen herself. The more Jeanne watches, the more the line between movie magic and real life blurs. The story unfolds in a quietly hypnotic mood, exploring questions of identity, longing, and the intoxicating pull of fame. As the set breathes between takes and the cast rehearses their lines, Jeanne discovers a mirror in Cristina that reflects her own questions about belonging and desire. The film avoids typical twists to keep its focus on mood and character.

Directed by Lucile Hadžihalilović and Geoff Cox, The Ice Tower is presented as an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersens The Snow Queen, with Marion Cotillard as Cristina.

The Ice Tower has been noted for its hushed mood and striking performances, especially Cotillards enigmatic lead. It probes how fame and performance blur with personal longing, and how adolescence negotiates memory, desire, and the price of looking for truth in art.