The Ice Tower, 2025.
Directed by Lucile Hadzihalilovic.
Starring Marion Cotillard, Clara Pachini, August Diehl, and Lila-Rose Gilberti.
SYNOPSIS:
A runaway orphan falls under the spell of the enigmatic star of a new film bring shot in the studio where she is taking refuge.
Lucile Hadžihalilović’s The Ice Tower is a stunningly beautiful, fairytale-like film that explores notions of fascination, magic, and obsession. Drawing on the work of mythic storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, Hadžihalilović successfully weaves the dreamlike quality of his stories into different facets of reality. The process of filmmaking is also a key theme, as the film suggests that making a movie is a form of dream-making. It holds a mirror up to the demands of real life, but that mirror can sometimes crack, offering a distorted view of both reality and imagination.
These big concepts are wonderfully translated onto the screen, and the film hinges on two marvellous performances. Marion Cotillard brings her star presence to a role that explores what it means to be a star and how an innocent person might perceive one. Cotillard’s performance is beguiling, hinting at a total immersion in her character. This is echoed in her icy demeanour, which expertly references the title and leaves us to wonder whether her Christina has gone ‘full method’ in her portrayal of the Ice Queen.
The innocent character, Jeanne, is portrayed by the brilliant young performer Clara Paccini, who masterfully handles the demands of a dreamlike story. Jeanne is a teenage orphan who has run away from the orphanage she calls home. She finds refuge in a film studio and, without knowing what’s happening, becomes an extra in a new film. The project is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, which stars Cotillard’s character, Christina, in the title role. Before long, Christina takes an interest in Jeanne and even gets her more screen time, making her a featured performer.
A mutual fascination between the two leads is conveyed brilliantly and subtly. This fascination has an almost expressionistic tone and a wonderful timelessness, despite the story being set in 1970. The themes of trying to find a home, understanding and beauty in a cold world are certainly universal.
The film also has a dark side. As with all good fairytales, the depths of the unknown are hinted at, leaving ideas to fester in the back of our minds. We peek out from behind the covers, trying to grasp what we think we may have seen or imagined.
Overall, The Ice Tower is a poetic film that explores the curious nature of youth and the joy of remaining enthralled with life. Hadžihalilović shows us that while fascination can be dangerous, it can also be a vital way of understanding the world. The film is a magical experience, beautifully shot and scored, that stays with you long after the credits roll. It’s also a strange glimpse at the workings of movie-making, or magic-making, with all the tricks of the trade in drawing you into the world on offer. We are just as much implicated as Jeanne is, and just as she does, we’ll keep on watching and taking part.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W. Monk
