Open Road Films has released a trailer for “The Promise,” director Terry George’s romantic epic set during the Armenian genocide.
Oscar Isaac headlines the film as Michael Boghosian, an Armenian medical student living and studying in Constantinople. Christian Bale plays Chris Myers, a photojournalist in love with Armenian artist Ana (Charlotte Le Bon). The two men form a romantic rivalry over Ana, but as the Ottoman Empire aligns with Germany and starts cracking down on minorities, they have to work together to survive.
“The Promise” also features Shohreh Aghdashloo, Angela Sarafyan, Jean Reno, James Cromwell, Daniel Gimenez Cacho and Marwan Kenzari. It was produced by Eric Esrailian, Mike Medavoy and William Horberg.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where TheWrap caught it. Set up by the late Kirk Kerkorian and seen through by “Black Swan” producer Mike Medavoy (among others), “The Promise” is a lush and satisfying epic that ticks a lot of boxes (meticulous, opulent details from the final days of the Ottoman Empire, elaborate costumes, sweeping landscapes, etc).
The surprise offering is a history lesson that says 1.5 million Armenians were forced from their villages and slaughtered by the Turkish government — which, to this day, does not acknowledge that the event happened — during and after World War I.
The movie opens April 28, 2017.