“We have to be tolerant of everything now.”
“Yeah, we can’t say or do anything.”
“There’s a difference between tolerance and irresponsibility.”
An incident has occurred, and the school wonders how to handle it. The child’s mother, a rather recent widow, is also a film star. The school doesn’t want a scene yet wants to handle the situation properly. They flounder, nervous about propriety and how best to handle the situation. They certainly don’t want to offend anyone.
For the last 30 years or so, schools have become afraid of parents and their access to lawyers, the media, and public opinion. In addition, they are not always sure about what to do because they are trying to be sensitive to all parties. They especially want to appear socially correct.
Since the incident in the film at school between the two six-year-olds involves some physical improbability, the story careens into more of a surreal social-psychological tale of the human psyche than a realistic slice of life.
Similar to last year’s “The Teachers’ Lounge,” Germany’s entry for Oscar consideration, an idealistic young teacher thinks she can reasonably take care of a behavioral incident occurring between her students. But when the parents start questioning how the school is handling the case, the muck of the case gets stranger and more confusing. In this way, “Armand” goes deeper than the social politics in “The Teacher’s Lounge,” plunging into deep psychological issues.
In Armand’s case, there was definitely an act so heinous that it is obvious counseling must be mandated. But then as the second half of the film progresses, there are other possible aspects to the story that create some puzzlement.
This is the third film by 34-year-old writer/director Halfda Ullmann Tøndel, the grandson of one of the most influential and deeply psychological film directors of all time, Ingmar Bergman. His introspective grandmother is Liv Ullmann, recognized as one of the greatest all-time European actresses. Like his family, it appears that Tøndel is also drawn to investigating the interplay of society and the psyche in his screenwriting and directing.
Ingmar Bergman, a Swedish film and theatre director and screenwriter, created films described as “profoundly personal meditations into the myriad struggles facing the psyche and the soul.” While Tøndel has cited other more contemporary influences, it is undeniable that he is also curious about how experience is interpreted in the mind.
“Armand” won the Caméra d’Or for best first feature film at Cannes. It has also been chosen as Norway’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Tøndel’s Norwegian film contains A+ acting, but despite being a Norwegian and a teacher myself, the script’s inner examination of the accused son’s mother just goes too far. Soon into it, I was frustrated and confused, not only with the story but the purpose of the film. I think this may be an American reaction, as the overwhelming European sentiment is that Tøndel’s dive into the inner emotions of his characters is remarkably brilliant.
Credits
Writer/Director: Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel
Producer: Andrea Berentsen Ottmar
Cast: Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorrit Patersen, Øystein Røger, Endre Hellestveit, Vera Veijovic and Thea Lambrecht Valuen
Cinematography: Pål Ulvik Rokseth
Editor: Robert Krantz
Music: Ella van der Woude
Official submission of Norway for the “Best International Feature Film” category of the 97th Academy Awards in 2025.
Release: Nov. 29, 2024
Official website: https://mubi.com/en/us/films/armand
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