What does it mean to protect your child? How do you prepare them for the challenges of life? Writer/director Didrik Tessier celebrates a mother’s enduring love in his moving short film The Promise. We meet young teenager Viggo (Wilmer Thelin) in the passenger seat of his mom’s (Elinor Wattman) car, hunched over a video game and filled with anxiety about his first day back at school. When he refuses to go inside, Mom must reason with him and convince him to stay.
With a runtime of just over six minutes, Tessier has managed to craft a beautifully-drawn world in the span of a single conversation. The script is simple and naturalistic, a slice of life story that captures the tension and emotion between mother and son as they both try to get their way. Small details and references to their past are carefully peppered into the dialogue, letting the characters be slowly developed and allowing the film’s conclusion to land with poignant impact.
Viggo is terrified of what awaits him inside the school doors, envisioning bullying, isolation, and humiliation. He can’t see past the worst-case scenario, rejecting his mother’s pleas with classic teenage obstinacy. Mom, torn between sympathy and frustration, knows her child can overcome his fears, but struggles to find the right words to get him past this final hurdle. Tessier adeptly depicts the emotional roller coaster of motherhood and the weight of carrying someone else’s pain, Viggo and his mother’s flaws emphasizing their humanity.
Cinematographer Jaqueline Auer has built an immersive aesthetic, close framing placing the audience directly in the car with Viggo and his mom during their talk. As we observe Viggo and his mother over each other’s shoulders, it feels almost as if we’re eavesdropping, giving the scene a heightened sense of intimacy.
The film is further bolstered by strong and understated performances, the characters speaking volumes even in silence. Thelin has imbued Viggo with stubborn petulance and palpable stress, a boy on the defense as he keeps his eyes averted from the keen gaze of his mother. Wattman beautifully portrays her character’s emotional journey, loving and tender even in moments of irritation.
The Promise depicts a brief moment in the life of a mother as she tries to get her son back to school. A simple, yet powerful story that needs no flourishes to resonate.
