| Armand | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel |
| Written by | Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel |
| Produced by | Andrea Berentsen Ottmar |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Pål Ulvik Rokseth |
| Edited by | Robert Krantz |
| Music by | Ella van der Woude |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 117 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Norwegian |
| Box office | $971,932[1] |
Armand is a 2024thrillerdrama film written and directed by Norwegian filmmakerHalfdan Ullmann Tøndel, in hisfeature directorial debut.[2] Aninternational co-production of Norway, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden, the film starsRenate Reinsve,Ellen Dorrit Petersen,Endre Hellestveit, Thea Lambrechts Vaulen, Øystein Røger, and Vera Veljovic.
The film had its world premiere in theUn Certain Regard section at the77th Cannes Film Festival on 18 May 2024, and won theCaméra d'Or, for Best First Feature Film. It was theatrically released in Norway on 27 September 2024. It was chosen as theNorwegian entry forBest International Feature Film at the97th Academy Awards,[3][4] and made the December shortlist.[5]
After an alleged sexual aggression between two 6-year-old boys, the parents and school staff are called in to clarify the incident. They convene Anders and Sarah, the parents of Jon, and Elisabeth, the single mother of Armand, who allegedly assaulted Jon.
The entirety of the movie takes place during the meeting between the school staff and the parents.
Armand is the feature directorial debut ofHalfdan Ullmann Tøndel, grandson of Norwegian actressLiv Ullmann and Swedish filmmakerIngmar Bergman.[6] It is a production of Eye Eye Pictures, which was launched in 2022 by the former Oslo Pictures CEO-producer Dyveke Bjørkly Graver and producer Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, both of whom worked onJoachim Trier's acclaimed 2021 filmThe Worst Person in the World.[7]Armand is produced by Berentsen Ottmar, in co-production with Keplerfilm (Netherlands), One Two Films (Germany), Prolaps Produktion (Sweden) andFilm i Väst (Sweden).[2] Trier and Bjørkly Graver served as the executive producers.[8]
Armand was selected to compete in theUn Certain Regard section at the77th Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 18 May 2024.[9] The film made its North American premiere at the 32ndHamptons International Film Festival,[10] where it won the top honor for Best Narrative Feature.[11][12] It was also selected for theMAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 under the World Cinema section.[13] It will also be featured at the25th European Film Festival held in conjunction with8th Malaysia International Film Festival in July 2025.[14]
International sales are handled by Charades.[2] Norsk Filmdistribusjon theatrically released the film in Norway on 27 September 2024.[15] North American distribution rights were acquired byIFC Films in June 2024.[16] Folkets Bio is scheduled to theatrically release the film in Sweden on 25 October 2024,[17] while Pandora Film is scheduled to release it in Germany on 21 November 2024.[18]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 74% of 73 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "WheneverArmand's ambitious structure threatens to collapse into its own rabbit hole, Renate Reinsve's outstanding performance holds everything together even as her character's composure falls apart."[19]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[20]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 25 May 2024[a] | Prix Un Certain Regard | Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel | Nominated | [22] |
| Caméra d'Or | Won | [23] | |||
| Directors Guild of America Awards | 8 February 2025 | Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film | Nominated | [24][25] | |
| European Film Awards | 7 December 2024 | European University Film Award | Nominated | [26] | |
| European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI | Won | [27] | |||
| European Actress | Renate Reinsve | Nominated | [28] | ||
| Hamptons International Film Festival | 15 October 2024 | Best Narrative Feature | Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel | Won | [11] |
