When watching a Lucille Hadzihalilovic film, even when you have no idea what the story is, you can expect something very different each and every time. Though there are stories to play out, full of mystery and existential dread, the atmosphere is set, the tone is understated, and you can bet there will be a memorable character and an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach. The Ice Tower is slightly different from Hadzihalilovic's previous offerings, in that the setting feels more definitive: starting in the mountains, then travelling to a city and finally to a studio where a film is being made. But this is not a story about the film industry, this is about infatuation and desire.
Teenage orphan Jeanne decides to run away from the current home she is in. Ending up in a city she recognises from an old postcard, she takes refuge in a studio. A film adaptation of The Snow Queen is currently being shot, starring the enigmatic actress, Cristina. As Jeanne slowly becomes infatuated with Cristina, she finds her way to being part of the production. Cristina equally is fascinated by Jeanne, though her motives become more and more unclear as the film nears its end.
Just like a fairy tale, there are warnings and a sense of menace from the start. Nothing that directly foreshadows what is to come, but the climate that Hadzihalilovic has chosen makes the overall story feel like a bedtime story. Jeanne entering the film studio is like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, but in this case its Jeanne finding herself trapped in the world of the Snow Queen. Setting the story in the 70s made the film even more fantastical, especially seeing real effects being used within the camera, giving the film within the film a strange, nostalgic quality. All these details feed into the dreamy atmosphere Jeanne and by default, the audience, walk into.
Jeanne and Cristina have unnerving and uncomfortable (due to her very young age) chemistry. Both are drawn to each other almost immediately, and we spend the entire film trying to understand what it is they want from each other. Is it desire? Lust? Comfort? Perhaps it's all of these emotions. Newcomer Clara Pacini embodies the innocent and naïve Jeanne to perfection. She brings us into this strange fantasy blurred with reality, displaying emotional depth for a character that could easily have been overshadowed by Marion Cotillard's Cristina. The latter does literally beguile us on screen with her cold-hearted exterior (and interior), creating a mysterious figure that we both fear and adore. But Pacini holds her own and makes quite an impression.
Although The Ice Tower is able to capture our imagination, it can also ground us back in reality with the more dramatic moments. The haunting atmosphere and tone throughout start to become monotonous and you can feel the time drag rather than spin by. There are times to linger and observe, but the pacing feels off, especially towards the film's climax. We're left with an empty pit in our collective stomachs, indicating that something wasn't quite right from the start or that we're short-changed come the ultimate end. The fantasy blurring is certainly more enjoyable, but once Cristina gets her claws deeper into Jeanne, the magic starts to disappear.
With some fantastic visuals throughout and strong performances, those who have appreciated Hadzihalilovic's previous films will enjoy this story. It's certainly a film of a different calibre, a haunting and unnerving fairy-tale.
The Ice Tower will be released in cinemas on 21 November
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