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Norway has selected Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel’s Armand, starring Renata Reinsve, to represent it in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.
The drama was a selected from a short list of three films that also included Erik Poppe’s psychological drama Quisling – The Final Days and Dag Johan Haugerud’s dark comedy Sex.
Armand is the first feature of Ullmann Tøndel, who is the grandson of Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman. It world premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard this year, becoming the first Norwegian film to win the Camera d’Or, for best first film across Official Selection and the parallel sections.
Reinsve (The Worst Person In The World) and Ellen Dorrit Petersen co-star as the mothers of six-year-old elementary schoolboys, called in for a mediation session over whether one of their children abused the other.
The truth of the matter is nebulous, but as the meeting progresses, a blend of madness, desire, and obsession arises, and the session becomes less and less about the children and more about the adults.
IFC Films acquired North American rights for the film in Cannes and is planning a qualifying run for the picture. Charades handles international sales. Norsk Filmdistribusjon will release the film in Norway on September 27
The Norwegian Oscar Committee comprised Norwegian Film Institute (NFI) CEO Kjersti Mo, CEO, film critic Øyvor Dalan Vik, actor Robert Skjærstad, director Tonje Hessen Schei, producer Asle Vatn, screenwriter Arthur Johansen, production designer Merete Bostrøm, Production Designer and NFI Head of International Affairs Dag Asbjørnsen.
Norway has previously been nominated in the Best International Feature Film category for The Worst Person in the World (2022), Kon-Tiki (2013), Elling (2001) The Other Side of Sunday (1996), The Pathfinder (1987), Nine Lives (1957). The King’s Choice was on the Academy shortlist in 2016 and Hope was on the shortlist in 2021.
