Les Arcs Film Festival

Les Arcs Film Festival: European cinema gains altitude

Created in 2009 by Pierre-Emmanuel Fleurantin (General Director), Guillaume Calop (Artistic Director), and Jérémy Zelnik (Industry Manager), Les Arcs Film Festival was born from a realization: European independent cinema suffers from a severe lack of visibility on the continent's screens. By establishing a film festival in the heart of a French Alps ski resort, the founders imagined an event capable of combining cinematic excellence and mountain conviviality, in an incomparable setting at an altitude of 1,800 meters.

In just seventeen editions, the festival has established itself as a key player in the promotion and distribution of European cinema. Every December, for a week, over 110 films are screened — feature films in competition, French premieres, short films, documentaries, heritage films, and selections for young audiences. The festival is hailed by the media as "the coolest winter event" and "a key annual meeting" for European cinema.

The Crystal Arrow and festival awards

The festival jury awards the Crystal Arrow each year, the supreme prize, to the best film in the official competition. Other awards enrich the lineup:

• Crystal Arrow: best film in competition (8 feature films)
• Woman in Cinema Award: created for the 5th edition
• Best Actress Award and Best Actor Award
• Best Original Score Award
• Best Cinematography Award
• Cineuropa Andrea D'Aquino Award
• Young Jury Award
• Audience Award
• Best Short Film (15 shorts in competition)

The Co-production Village: a major industry event

Beyond its public program, Les Arcs Film Festival hosts the annual Co-production Village and the professional program Le Sommet, bringing together producers, distributors, international sales agents, and European film industry professionals. These professional meetings make the festival a catalyst for film projects and a prime exchange hub for the European film industry.

A unique Alpine setting

The festival's atmosphere is inseparable from its mountain setting. Between screenings, festival-goers and professionals can hit the slopes of Les Arcs, share a Savoyard tartiflette, or attend après-ski concerts. This alchemy between cinema and the mountains creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere that encourages exchanges and encounters, far from the formality of major urban festivals.