RIGA IFF online: Armands

Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
Armand
Armand
NO, NL, DE, SE 
2024, 116', no
Age 16+

 

Shortly before the summer holidays, an incident occurred at school. When a parents’ meeting attempts to mediate a conversation about the incident, the school's management is uncertain about what really happened between the six-year-olds Armand and Jon. Was it innocent play or abuse with sexual undertones? Armand's mother, Elisabeth, a well-known actress, gradually realizes that others perceive her as always performing a role. Amidst a struggle to determine who is right and a clash between lust and obsession, everyone involved begins acting like "adults".

 

A fine cine-performance of characters. The claustrophobic, intense drama, directed by Norwegian filmmaker Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel – the grandson of Liv Ullmann and the renowned Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman – received the Caméra d'Or prize for best debut film at Cannes. The idea for this chamber drama came about when a friend of the director shared a story during a tour about a conflict resolution attempt based on incomplete pieces of information. This sparked various interpretations: who is the victim and who is the perpetrator, and who bears responsibility or innocence? Inspired by Kieślowski's The Double Life of Véronique (1991), Ullmann Tøndel has presented his creative partner, Renate Reinsve, with the penultimate gift – an unforgettable role portraying an actress exploring her own self-image.