Halfdan Ullman Tøndel Populates His Debut Film, ‘Armand,’ With Indelible Female Characters
His furtive exploration of the best of intentions, the complications of parenthood, and the ramifications of guilt bear some comparison with the work of his grandfather, the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman.
About three-quarters of the way into Halfdan Ullman Tøndel’s debut film, “Armand,” there is a scene of such extraordinary power that it can’t help but put the rest of the film into high relief. Anders (Endre Hellestveit) and Sarah (Ellen Dorrit Petersen), a married couple, are seen talking in the doorway of an elementary school as they’re taking a breather from a parent/teacher conference. It’s not going well.
The meeting is stressful enough; now, Anders and Sarah are at odds. In a fit of frustration, Sarah begins to scream — except that no sound emanates from her mouth. Her grimace is a study in inexpressible tension. The moment is redolent of the intimacies, and extremes, to which a longstanding couple can reveal themselves to each other. Mr. Tøndel, who also wrote “Armand,” gives us a glimpse of a relationship that has the ring of truth.
A login link has been sent to
Enter your email to read this article.
Get 2 free articles when you subscribe.
