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Les Arcs Film Festival 2025: the exceptional awards of this 17th edition

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The Editor

Les Arcs Film Festival 2025 © Pidz

Ready to dive into the dazzling lineup of the 17th edition of the Arcs Film Festival? Filled with cinematic revelations and bold creations, the festival once again celebrated the richness of European cinema, with Mr. Nobody Against Putin taking the crown and many other remarkable works waiting to be discovered.

The curtain has fallen on the 17th edition of the Arcs Film Festival, which took place from December 13 to 20, 2025 in the heart of the French Alps. With exclusive previews, plenty of snow, amazing concerts, raclette and fondue galore, and of course, an official competition featuring about twenty films, the festival has once again confirmed its status as a must-attend event for European cinema.

After a week rich in screenings and cinematic emotions, the eagerly awaited awards were revealed by the jury chaired by director Dominik Moll, along with Damien Bonnard, Monia Chokri, and Nadia Tereszkiewicz. It celebrates bold and moving works that showcase the richness and diversity of European cinema. Discover right away the big winners of this unforgettable edition.


An Engaging and Impactful Crystal Arrow

The big winner of this 2025 edition, Mr. Nobody Against Putin by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin takes home the prestigious Crystal Arrow, the main award given to the best feature film of the festival since its inception in 2009, in partnership with France Télévisions. The film follows the story of Pasha Talankin, a Russian teacher who unexpectedly finds himself caught in Putin's propaganda machine after the invasion of Ukraine. He ultimately becomes an international whistleblower and an unlikely hero, documenting with his camera the rise of militarized children’s groups, regressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of students to go fight.

A piece that will definitely leave a mark on the festival jury, so much so that it also wins the Best Original Music Award, awarded in partnership with Sacem, thanks to the work of Michal Rataj and Jonas Struck, a duo that has beautifully captured the intensity of the story in music. 


A winners' list that celebrates boldness and diversity

Another highlight of the awards, the Jury's Grand Prize was awarded to Little Trouble Girls by Urška Djukić. The Slovenian film tells the story of Lucia, a shy young girl who joins her school choir and befriends the popular and charming Ana-Maria. It’s a tale about awakening, safety, and those encounters that can turn everything upside down, including our deepest beliefs and values. The film Silent Friend is also...Silent Friend by Ildikó Enyedi has also been praised for its aesthetics and boldness. This German feature film stars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (In the Mood for Love) and Léa Seydoux, and it had already made a splash at the Venice Film Festival thanks to the performance of the young Luna Wedler. It received the Best Cinematography Award for the work of Gergely Pálos Hca. Additionally, director Ildikó Enyedi was the recipient of the Femme de Cinéma Sisley - Les Arcs Award, which honors an emblematic female director of European independent cinema each year since 2013.

The Best Performance Award has brought joy to three lucky winners, honoring Mila Ondrik for Father by Terez Nvotová, as well as Robert Aramayo and Scott Ellis Watson for I Swear by Kirk Jones. The latter film has indeed enjoyed great success with the audience, as it also received the Young Jury Award and the 2025 Audience Award. For the Cinglés du Cinéma Award, it was Three Goodbyes by Isabel Coixet that won over the jury, while the Cineuropa Award went to Maspalomas by Aitor Arregi and José Mari Goenaga, a touching and bright gem.

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Finally, the shorter creations were not forgotten, with the Best Short Film Award going to Beyond Silence by Marnie Blok, and a special mention to God is Shy by Jocelyn Charles, showcasing the power of the short format to tell touching stories. 


Between Artistic Excellence and Alpine Friendliness

Beyond the awards, this 2025 edition once again showed the festival's ability to blend artistic excellence and friendliness. Festival-goers enjoyed an eclectic program, featuring highly anticipated premieres – like Couture by Alice Winocour at the opening, and The Bojarski Affair by Jean-Paul Salomé closing the event – along with special sessions celebrating cinema...Greece, this year's guest of honor, featuring the (re)discovery of the amazing Canine by Yorgos Lanthimos on the big screen, and Attenberg by Athina-Rachel Tsangari. Musical moments also filled the days and nights, with the concerts by Léonie Pernet and YOA. In short, the 17th edition of the Arcs Film Festival ended beautifully, leaving the audience with unforgettable memories and a desire for adventure in the upcoming seasons.