Anne Fontaine’s 2019 film Blanche comme neige—released internationally as the White as Snow film—is a bit of a trip. Honestly, if you go into this expecting a Disney-fied fairytale or even a dark Grimm adaptation like the ones we saw in the early 2010s, you’re going to be confused. It's a French erotic comedy-drama. It’s weird. It’s lush. And it basically flips the bird at the idea that a "Snow White" story has to be about a helpless girl waiting for a prince to save her.
Lou de Laâge plays Claire. She’s young, breathtakingly beautiful, and completely unaware of the effect she has on the men around her. This obliviousness is exactly what drives her stepmother, Maud (played by the legendary Isabelle Huppert), into a murderous spiral of jealousy. But here’s the kicker: the "poisoned apple" isn't a piece of fruit. It’s the awakening of Claire’s own sexuality in a small village in the French Alps.
The setup that changes everything
Most people know the bones of the story. Evil stepmother, mirror on the wall, girl flees to the woods. In the White as Snow film, the "woods" is a rugged, mountainous Vercors region. Maud, who runs a successful hotel, realizes her younger, more vibrant stepdaughter is attracting the attention of the man Maud loves.
Isabelle Huppert is terrifying here. She doesn't need a magic mirror; she has a gym and a high-end skincare routine. She’s the personification of the modern fear of aging. When she hires someone to kill Claire, and that plan fails, Claire finds herself taken in by a man living in a remote cabin.
Then things get complicated.
Instead of seven dwarves, we get seven men. But they aren't mining for gold or singing "Heigh-Ho." They are deeply flawed, lonely, and distinct individuals who all fall under Claire’s spell. There’s a bookstore owner, a cellist, a pair of twins, and even a priest. It’s a messy, polyamorous exploration of desire.
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Why the "Seven Dwarves" aren't what you expect
Anne Fontaine made a very specific choice with the men in this movie. They represent different facets of male attention—some protective, some predatory, some intellectual.
- The local vet and his twin brother offer a strange, competitive kind of affection.
- The priest struggles with the literal "temptation" Claire represents.
- The shut-in intellectual finds his world turned upside down by her presence.
It’s not about Claire being a victim. In fact, the White as Snow film argues that Claire finds her power by leaning into these relationships. She isn't a "pure" princess in the traditional, virginal sense. She’s a woman discovering that she can be the center of her own universe. It’s a bold take. Some critics hated it. They felt it was aimless. But others, particularly those who follow French cinema, saw it as a biting commentary on the female gaze.
Isabelle Huppert and the villainy of vanity
You can’t talk about this movie without talking about Huppert. She’s basically the queen of playing high-functioning sociopaths with impeccable fashion sense. In this film, her jealousy isn't just about looks. It's about the loss of control.
The White as Snow film uses the mirror motif sparingly. When Maud looks at herself, she’s looking for flaws that don't exist to the naked eye. She’s looking for the passage of time. The contrast between Huppert’s cold, calculated movements and Lou de Laâge’s soft, naturalistic performance is where the real tension lives.
There’s a scene where Maud goes hiking to find Claire, dressed in a red coat that cuts through the white snow like a literal wound. It’s stunning. Cinematographer Yves Angelo deserves a lot of credit for making the mountains feel both like a sanctuary and a prison. The lighting is often cold, highlighting the pale skin of the leads, which brings the title to life in a way that feels visceral rather than poetic.
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The controversy of the ending
Fair warning: if you want a "happily ever after," look elsewhere.
The finale of the White as Snow film deviates significantly from the folklore. There is no glass coffin. No true love's kiss. Instead, there is a confrontation that feels more like a psychological thriller than a fable. It’s about the cyclical nature of envy.
Some viewers found the ending abrupt. It’s "French," for lack of a better word. It leaves you with questions about whether Claire has actually escaped her stepmother’s shadow or if she has simply become a new version of the same obsession.
Where to watch and what to look for
If you’re planning on sitting down with this one, keep a few things in mind. First, it’s subtitled (unless you speak French). Second, it’s rated for mature audiences. There’s a fair amount of nudity, but it’s handled with that specific European sensibility where it feels like part of the landscape rather than something meant to shock.
The White as Snow film is currently available on various streaming platforms like Amazon Prime (via certain channels) and VOD services like Apple TV and Google Play.
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Technical details for the film nerds
- Director: Anne Fontaine (who also did Coco Before Chanel and The Innocents).
- Run Time: 112 minutes.
- Release Year: 2019.
- Genre: Drama / Comedy / Erotica.
Why this film still matters in 2026
We are currently inundated with "reimagined" fairytales. From the dark gritty reboots to the live-action Disney remakes, the market is crowded. But the White as Snow film stands out because it doesn't try to be a blockbuster. It’s a character study. It looks at the "Snow White" archetype and asks: "What if she enjoyed the attention?"
It rejects the idea that a woman’s beauty is a curse she must hide. Claire doesn't hide. She lives. She eats, she sleeps with who she wants, and she wanders the mountains. In a world where we are constantly told how women should behave in stories, Fontaine’s version is refreshingly chaotic.
It also tackles the "Evil Stepmother" trope with more nuance than usual. Maud isn't a witch with a cauldron. She’s a woman who has built a life on her terms and is terrified that a younger version of herself will tear it down. It’s a very grounded, very human motivation.
Actionable Steps for Viewers
If you're interested in diving into this specific corner of world cinema, here is how to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the 2016 film The Innocents first. Also directed by Anne Fontaine, it will give you a sense of her style—restrained, beautiful, and focused on female internal lives. It sets the stage for the themes in White as Snow.
- Compare it to Blancanieves (2012). This is a silent, black-and-white Spanish version of Snow White set in the world of bullfighting. Watching these two back-to-back shows how much a single folktale can be stretched across different cultures.
- Pay attention to the color palette. Notice how red is used. In the original tale, it’s blood on snow. Here, it’s used in clothing and lipstick to signal a shift in power between Claire and Maud.
- Check the local library or Kanopy. Since this is an international film, it's often available for free through library-connected streaming services, saving you the $4.99 rental fee.
- Look for the "Seven" motifs. Try to identify which "dwarf" trait each of the seven men represents. It’s not always obvious, and the film plays with your expectations of who the "grumpy" one or the "docile" one should be.
The White as Snow film isn't for everyone. It’s slow-paced. It’s atmospheric. It doesn't provide easy answers. But for anyone tired of the same old tropes, it's a breath of cold, mountain air. It proves that even the oldest stories in the world still have some life left in them, provided you're willing to get a little messy.