The Ice Tower

In her Berlinale entry, The Ice Tower (La tour de glace), French writer and director Lucile Hadžihalilović once again explores the relationship between youthful innocence and the cruel world it will come up against.

Teenage Jeanne (Clara Pacini) decides to leave her secluded orphanage in the mountains and descends into a nearby town. Her attempts to bond with local girls at an ice rink amount to nothing. Finally, she finds shelter in a wooden structure that turns out to be part of a film set, where Jeanne’s favourite fairytale is being adapted into a movie starring actress Cristina (Marion Cotillard). The more time she spends in that environment, the more the lines between The Snow Queen and Jeanne’s life begin to blur.

The deliberate mingling of proposed reality, dream imagery and artistic interpretation makes The Ice Tower more accessible than Hadžihalilović’s previous film, Earwig, even though both works are clearly cut from the same cloth and prioritise discomfort above all else. Despite easily recognisable effigies with obvious references to Hans Christian Andersen’s story, the slow tempo remains challenging for the average moviegoer, particularly as the narrative thins out once its core themes have been established.

Cold and glistening, the visuals lean heavily into the wintry landscape of the fairytale. The continued visualisation of snow and ice further underscores the frosty behaviour of the characters and ultimately suggests that sometimes, white can be the darkest colour.

Clara Pacini delivers a striking feature debut performance, effortlessly commanding the viewer’s gaze and curiosity. Cotillard plays with the mystery of her inherent allure, keeping both the story’s characters and the viewer at a safe distance from Cristina. Appearances by Gaspar Noé and August Diehl complete the curious picture, their ominous presence heightening the inexplicable terror one immediately feels for the young protagonist, who remains oblivious to any lurking danger.

With the director’s firm grasp commanding a wholly disturbing atmosphere, The Ice Tower is a film that may send shivers down your spine, but it certainly won’t leave you cold.

Selina Sondermann

The Ice Tower (La tour de glace) does not have a release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.

Watch a clip for The Ice Tower here: