The Ice Tower (15)

Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart… Oscar winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) brings a thrilling magnetism to the screen for this snowbound tale of obsession and wish fulfilment between an actress and a young runaway.

Teenager Jeanne dreams of a life beyond her orphanage in a snowy mountain village. Swept away by her desire to escape, she flees and takes refuge in a film studio housing a production of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen and meets Cristina (Cotillard), the storied actress playing the title role. Captivated, Jeanne soon falls under Cristina’s spell, endangering her initial quest for freedom.

With hazy 1970s visuals, a dizzying score, outstanding performances from Cotillard and newcomer Pacini, Innocence, Evolution and Earwig writer-director Lucile Hadžihalilović once again conjures up a world that seamlessly, and chillingly, blends dark fairytale with stark reality.

“A mesmeric melodrama” ★★★★★ The Guardian