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European cinema shines bright at the Arcs Film Festival 2025!

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The Editor

© Pidz

From December 13 to 20, the Les Arcs Film Festival is back for its 17th edition, bringing together snow, cinema, and good vibes. Unique screenings, concerts, Savoyard cuisine, and meaningful encounters: it’s an unmissable event for lovers of the 7th art in the mountains!

A movie session facing Mont Blanc, does that tempt you? This winter, the Les Arcs Film Festival is back for its 17th edition at the summit of the mountains, from December 13 to 20, 2025. What’s on the program? Exclusive premieres, plenty of snow, amazing concerts, raclette and fondue galore, and of course, an official competition featuring around twenty European films. All of this takes place in an exceptional setting that is the hallmark of this festival: a warm atmosphere in the heart of the Alps where film lovers, skiers, and good-time enthusiasts mix together!


The 7th art under the banner of democracy

Like every year, the Les Arcs Film Festival aims to contribute its little stone to the building, with a common thread that is always evocative for the greatest number. So, for this new edition, the festival dedicates its programming and discussions to a theme that aims to touch all of us: democracy. Through the cross perspectives of contemporary European filmmakers,

Today, we discover engaging stories and a cinema that always aims to be a haven of expression and reflection on contemporary issues and challenges. By blending art, thought, and nature, the Les Arcs Film Festival reminds us that cinema, much like the mountains, is a lofty territory: a space of freedom, dialogue, and collective emotion.

This year, the invited European country (we enjoyed Iceland last year) is none other than Greece, the cradle of democracy. This spotlight will showcase a series of screenings that will immerse us in the breathtaking landscapes and cinematic culture of Greece. It's a chance to rediscover the incredible Canine by Yorgos Lanthimos on the big screen, as well as Attenberg by Athina-Rachel Tsangari.


A sharp program open to everyone

One thing is for sure, the teams are very proud to present the new selection for the 2025 Arcs Film Festival, which is particularly high-quality and unique. After watching nearly 600 films, about a hundred have made it into the final selection, including 8 feature films in the running for the Crystal Arrow, the major award given during the festival, and 15 short films competing to showcase the new voices of European cinema. But beyond the official competition, the festival allows us to discover in advance the best of French cinema for 2026, featuring the highly anticipated Couture by Alice Winocour (Mustang, Revoir Paris) as the opening film, and L’Affaire Bojarski by Jean-Paul Salomé (La Syndicaliste, La Daronne) as the closing film. 

The strength of the Arcs Film Festival also lies in its commitment to gender equality and the role of women in the industry.

ma. For several years now, the Women in Cinema Sisley Award has been showcasing an emblematic director of European independent cinema, an award that has already been presented to eleven filmmakers. Another festival award, the Revelation Film Music Composer Award (since 2022), highlights the talents of a composer, a field where women are still underrepresented. Alongside the competitions, the Women in Cinema Lab – which supports both awards – will once again offer its think tank with inclusive roundtables, masterclasses, and podcast episodes, alongside the 50/50 Collective. 


Prestigious juries and exceptional guests

When it comes to film festivals, we can’t forget about the wonderful personalities that are sure to make an appearance! While the Arcs Film Festival aims to be a friendly and warm event, it also welcomes big names in cinema who will liven up the week and present the much-anticipated awards. This year, the jury president is none other than the talented director Dominik Moll (Harry, He's Here to Help, La Nuit du 12), joined by Damien Bonnard, nominated for the Best Hope César for Rester Vertical in 2016, Monia Chokri, who gained recognition in Les Amours Imaginaires by Xavier Dolan and was recently celebrated for her work in Simple comme Sylvain, and finally, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, winner of the Best Female Hope César in 2023 for Les Amandiers by Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi.

As for the short films, the jury will be presided over by Jessica Palud, who is launching a fantastic new series on HBO Max, Merteuil.

followed by Guilhem Caillard, director of the Cinemania Film Festival, Salif Cissé, recently seen in Météors by Hubert Charuel, Sabrina Ouazani, who has worked with directors like Abdellatif Kechiche, Asghar Farhadi, Cédric Klapisch and stars in the series Plan Coeur, and finally, Louis Peres, soon to be featured in Les Misérables alongside Camille Cottin and in Peau d'Homme with Catherine Deneuve. 

Alongside the jury, we’ll have the honor of welcoming some special guests, like Isabelle Adjani – who needs no introduction, of course – at the screening of La Reine Margot by Patrice Chéreau, which has been beautifully restored in 4K. We’ll also have the chance to meet Daniel Brühl, an award-winning actor known for big projects like Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarantino and soon starring in Ruben Östlund’s upcoming feature, The Entertainment System is Down. To top it all off, Tarik Saleh, director of Cairo Confidential and The Cairo Conspiracy, will present this year’s The Eagles of the Republic at the festival, followed by a masterclass. 

Les Arcs Film Festival
From December 13 to 20, 2025
More info