As one cuts through the morning’s fresh powder, another snowfall brings new chances to carve even deeper tracks. From a piste decorated with the day’s routes, a new blank canvas is revived. Breaking things down for them to be built back and better. Much like this joyous cycle experienced every ski season, the Les Arcs Film Festival celebrates a world of European cinema to recognise what differentiates us and what binds us. Through carving their own social tracks towards change via the screen rather than slope, a similar fresh start is hoped to rectify, uniting a continent closer together.

“Each film tells a piece of the mosaic that we form: landscapes, history, cultures, ways of life”, as described on their website. Showcasing a wealth of talent that is not often circulated beyond its originating country, Les Arcs Film Festival aims to share, celebrate and communicate different cultures. Set around the wondrous Les Arcs Ski Resort, one of the largest of its kind in the world, its unspoiled panorama of the peaks of Savoie and Mont Blanc are simply Oscar-worthy. With an ambitious program of unforgettable screenings, entertainment and DJs, this is no ordinary après festival and 2022 marks its 14^th edition. A glamorous introduction to the new season and bringing together many key players of the European film industry, both public and professionals rub shoulders here on this exclusive white carpet.

Founded in 2009, the festival is a product of the imaginations of two local boys who grew up in this very valley, Guillaume Calop and Pierre-Emmanuel Fleurantin. Engrossed in the world of cinematic creations, they have the great ambition of becoming one of the main platforms for European cinema. Now a vast team of organisers, the film festival operates with three key convictions: to showcase difference as a source of richness, the diversity of our societies and cinema as a responsible industry. Committed to promoting greater equality between men and women, not limited to within the film industry, as well as eco-responsibility, Les Arcs has created a Women of Cinema Lab and the Cinema Green lab to initiate more of these discussions. The spirit of Les Arcs Film Festival transcends its magical appearance in the French Alps to reconstruct the image of a creative Europe: a mosaic of many parts.

Many parts indeed, with 70 features and 40 shorts making up the annual program, from independent arthouse to mainstream premieres. A colossal 20,000 skiers and cinema lovers flock to these slopes every year, swapping their lift pass for a screen pass as the evening falls. Centered around showcasing a competition of ten of the best films from the last 6 months, there are a number of other categories as well to squeeze into the week’s itinerary. ‘Playtime’ presents a series of mainstream comedy and action premieres, whilst ‘Hauteur’ is designed for the more cinephile audience. ‘Avant premiere’ sees a dozen French films presented by their own cast and crew, ‘Oscar au ski’ invites a selection of pieces that will be represented at the Oscars and there is always a ‘Spotlight’ on a particular country or region, sharing films from the last 10 years, as well as seasoned and new talent.

As Hollywood trades its holly bush namesake for a grander, alpine association, Les Arcs even incorporates its very own ‘Slope of Fame’. The infamous Hollywood strip has its stars, Cannes has its footprints, but Les Arcs decorates a slope that crosses the village with a trail of ski signs, autographed by their owners. Gracing the likes of Bertrand Tavernier, Vanessa Paradis, Isabelle Huppert, Matthias Schoenarts, Jack Reynor, Noomie Rapace, Ruben Ostlund and many more, visitors can ski across a terrain marked by legends.

Taking place in three rooms in Bourg Saint Maurice, two in Arc 1800 and one in Arc 2000, this film festival’s golden viewing is arguably one of the Les Arcs Ski Resort itself. Part of the ‘Paradiski’ area, consisting of Les Arcs, La Plagne and Peisey-Vallandry, 425km of ski slopes, three slalom stadiums and three new winter sports facilities adorn the resort’s credits. Starring at the gates of the Parc de la Vanoise is the largest protected natural area in Europe, when combined with the Parc du Grand Paradis. Offering five exceptional reception sites at altitudes of 1600m, 1800m, 1950m and 2000m, the pistes here are vast and versatile.

A diverse off-piste terrain with bowls, trees and super long steeps, ranging for all levels, a quality and consistent snow record, an entire 2000m vertical and easy access from the hub of Bourg Saint Maurice makes the extreme popularity of this resort its only potential downfall. However, with the Les Arcs Film Festival scheduled the week before the Christmas rush, the 10^th-17^th December becomes the best-kept secret week, beating all the ski bums to the start of the season. A unique and special event already, there is nothing quite like an uncrowded run on the first snowfall.

Ski by day, cinema by night. It’s a different kind of après promoted this time at Les Arcs, but that is not to say that the bars and restaurants fade into the background as extras. Arc 1950, with direct links to screens within the village and to those at Arc 2000, via The Cabriolet, comes alive as the primary residence for guests at the festival. This is the place to meet personalities, discover parties, DJ sets and embrace the festival atmosphere. With the whole resort consumed with the festivities, restaurants are offering discounts to attendees and even putting on their own festival menus. In the most literal sense, snow meets screen best at The Igloo, the resort’s most unusual venue. Located at 2200m and accessible on skis, short films are projected onto its walls of snow for the ultimate winter watch.

A freezing event with a warm heart, Les Arcs Film Festival pieces together tiles of a creative industry that form the most spectacular display of colour, culture and cinema. In the heart of the Alps and the heart of Europe, on the slopes or in dark theatres, this is an event that shreds expectation and reputation.