Empires fall. Love survives.|Dec. 02, 2016|Spain|133 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Drama;History;Romance
Description: The Promise (2016) is a historical drama set during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. The story follows Mikael Boghosian, an Armenian apothecary from the village of Siroun in southeastern Turkey. To finance his medical studies, Mikael agrees to marry Maral, the daughter of a wealthy neighbor, receiving a dowry of 400 gold coins. With this financial support, he travels to Constantinople to attend the Imperial School of Medicine.
In Constantinople, Mikael befriends Emre, the son of a high-ranking Ottoman official. Through his affluent uncle, he meets Ana Khesarian, an Armenian woman raised in Paris, who is in a relationship with an American journalist, Chris Myers. Mikael develops feelings for Ana as World War I begins to unfold. Protected by a medical student exemption, he initially avoids conscription into the Ottoman Army, thanks to Emre’s assistance. However, during the Armenian roundups of April 24, 1915, Mikael is arrested while attempting to save his uncle and sent to a labor camp. Emre is also conscripted.
After escaping the camp, Mikael returns to Siroun, only to discover that the Turkish inhabitants have turned violently against their Armenian neighbors. Under pressure from his parents, Mikael marries Maral, and they seek refuge in a remote mountain cabin, where Maral becomes pregnant. When her pregnancy turns complicated, Mikael brings her back to the village for his mother’s care. There, he learns that Ana and Chris are at a nearby Red Cross facility and seeks their help to escape the looming Turkish threat.
Joining a group of orphans, Mikael, Ana, and Chris head back to Siroun to rescue Mikael’s family. However, they encounter the aftermath of a massacre, realizing that the entire village, including Mikael’s family, except his mother, has been killed by Ottoman forces. The film portrays the struggles and tragedies faced by Armenians during this tumultuous period in history.
Cast director: Terry George
Cast actor: Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Tom Hollander, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rade Šerbedžija, Marwan Kenzari, Angela Sarafyan, Numan Acar
Original name: The Promise