Renate Reinsve, who made such an impact in 2021’s The Worst Person In The World, returns to her native Norway to deliver another indelible performance in this potent but sometimes puzzling drama. In her maroon coat, she cuts a striking figure as Elisabeth, mother of the titular six-year-old (who, like every other child mentioned, is never seen on screen). She’s been called to the primary school that her son attends for a meeting with nervy young teacher Sunna (Thea Lambrechts Vaulen), where she learns that Armand has been accused of sexually abusing a fellow classmate named Jon.

The film, which won the Camera d’Or in Cannes this year, is written and directed by Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel, the grandson of European filmmaking legends Liv Ullmann and Ingmar Bergman. He wears his legacy lightly, creating an intense exploration of social values that his grandparents would surely admire. Admittedly, Armand is a curious beast, from a scene where Reinsve laughs uncontrollably, so blindsided is she by the accusations her son faces, to a third-act ‘dance’ that really takes the viewer out of the piece’s dramatic realism. Leaving more questions unanswered than solved, this is a mysterious work destined to divide audiences.

Armand was screened as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival and is in cinemas from Friday 27 September.