“Armand”: A Tense Drama Fueled by Renate Reinsve’s Magnetic Performance
The actress Elisabeth (Renate Reinsve) is summoned to her son’s school: her six-year-old has apparently done something terrible. A worried young woman listens to the accusations against her child from the parents of another student. Soon, however, the incident between the schoolchildren fades into the background. The adults begin to recall past grievances and start sorting things out between themselves.
Renate Reinsve as Elisabeth in a still from the film “Armand”
“Armand” is directed by Halvdan Ullmann Tøndel, grandson of Ingmar Bergman and Liv Ullmann. The film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024, where it won the award for Best First Feature. The film primarily attracts attention due to the lead actress: Renate Reinsve’s star ignited in 2021 with the release of “The Worst Person in the World.” Since then, the Norwegian native has become one of Europe’s leading actresses with a curious choice of roles. It seems Reinsve is not seeking to conquer Hollywood, but it is now difficult to imagine film festivals without her. In 2024 alone, three films starring Renate premiered: at the Berlinale, critics appreciated films with similar titles – “Another Man” and “Another End,” while “Armand” was shown in Cannes.
Renate Reinsve as Elisabeth in a still from the film “Armand”
Armand is the name of the main character’s son. But the children, who initially caused the parental meeting, are practically absent from the frame. The screen captures the evening school corridors: lessons have long ended, the noise of children has been replaced by an ominous silence, and the classrooms are filled with adults. In one of the classrooms sit Elisabeth, Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen), and Anders (Endre Hellestveit) – the latter are convinced that the actress’s son has caused their child psychological and physical trauma. The school administration has taken on the task of resolving the conflict and building a dialogue between the families: Halvdan Ullmann Tøndel masterfully maintains tension during the conversations. The diplomatic conversation doesn’t stick, and secrets, grievances, and a shared past come to light, word by word. Without revealing all the cards, let’s just say that the parents are united by more than just the school their children attend.
Renate Reinsve as Elisabeth in a still from the film “Armand”
The Performance Within the Performance
It is no coincidence that Elisabeth is an actress by profession. Viewers will have to make many guesses as to who is right, who is wrong, who is playing a role, or who is genuinely bewildered by what is happening. Reinsve’s character laughs incessantly in one scene: is she putting on her usual performance, or is she falling into hysterics due to unbearable anxiety? By listening to all three sides (in addition to the parental disputes, we also hear the reflections of the teaching staff), the audience learns additional details and hopes for a resounding climax. However, one should not expect a cathartic ending from the novice director: the film’s nervousness gradually fades away, and the overloaded plot begins to weigh down and even tire.
A Promising Debut
“Armand” is a talented debut with a magnetic performance by the main star. Renate Reinsve deserves loud applause, all sorts of awards, and many roles in the future. It is simply difficult to take your eyes off her performance: rage, despair, cunning, elation – hundreds of emotions can be read on the actress’s face. In terms of mood, “Armand” is primarily reminiscent of last year’s “The Teachers’ Lounge” – also a claustrophobic film about nightmares in school corridors. The German drama by İlker Çatak was nominated for an Oscar in the “Best International Feature Film” category. Halvdan Ullmann Tøndel’s film has been nominated for the 2025 Academy Awards from Norway. It is still difficult to judge whether “Armand” will make it into the final list of contenders. And it is unlikely that the Scandinavian film will be able to win. But “Armand” will certainly be remembered by the public as one of the most disturbing dramas of the year – and that’s already something.