The Ice Tower (The Ice Tower; orig. title: The ice tower) is a 2025 French-German-Italian drama fantasy film directed by Lucille Hadjihalilovich from a screenplay by Lucille Hadjihalilovich, Jeff Cox, and Allante Cavaite. The film premiered in France on 17 September 2025.
The movie The Ice Tower is directed by Lucil Hadžihalilović, an auteur known for her visually poetic and psychologically intense films (Innocence, Evolution). It is a poetic, dark and dreamy film that intertwines maturation, imagination and obsession with the world of cinema and fairy tales.
The story takes place in the 1970s, when Jeanne, a 16-year-old orphan girl, runs away from her foster family high in the Alps and finds shelter in a studio where a film based on the fairy tale "The„The Snow Queen“"by Hans Christian Andersen.
As the filming continues, Jeanne becomes enchanted by Christina, the mysterious and cold actress who plays the role of the Snow Queen. Gradually, a dangerous and ambiguous attraction develops between the girl and the star, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy. In this synthetic world of the films, Jeanne's dreams and fears begin to emerge in the form of visions, reflections and mystical images that push her towards personal transformation and dangerous choices.
This is a story about the power of illusion and cinema, about the way art attracts, changes and sometimes destroys those who allow themselves to be captivated by it.
Lucil Hadzihalilovic approaches The Ice Tower with a contemplative, almost hypnotic visual language. Jonathan Rickburg's camera captures the cold, light-permeable atmosphere with long, fluid shots and artistic shots that seem to transform the studio space into a parallel, fairy-tale world. The director mixes the real and the unreal, using visual motifs, reflections, mirror surfaces and cold palettes to express the emotional transformation of the main character. Instead of tension, the film builds a tense presence - like a snowy fairy tale in which the characters get lost in inner labyrinths.
Marion Cotillard impresses as Christina, a beautiful but dark actress whose coolness and mystical aura are both attractive and dangerous. Her presence gives the film a psychological and almost mythic weight.
Clara Pacini makes a powerful screen debut as Jean, a vulnerable but determined girl whose escape from the outside world thrusts her into another world, equally cold and unclear. She captures the decay of innocence and the smooth transition to self-determination.
August Deal and Gaspar Noé complement the cast with supporting roles that enrich the atmosphere of the film — real studio life becomes part of Jean's psycho-emotional labyrinth.
The Ice Tower is a visually and emotionally captivating film that strays from standard plot frameworks and relies on enchanting, almost alchemical images and structures. It is a film that prefers dream over logic, atmosphere over explanation - a title that will resonate strongly with fans of art-house, contemplative fantasy and films about self-identification.
The film had modest box office profits but strong festival acclaim, including the award Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution from the Berlinale 2025 — a sign of the visual and artistic value of the project.
