Promises

Clémence runs a small town just outside Paris, steering a weary electorate through years of inequality and neglect. As mayor she has stood with Yazid, her loyal aide, opposing slumlords and stubborn unemployment while delivering patchwork reforms. Her persona blends practical grit with a knack for coalition building, yet the job has worn on her. When a chance to join the national cabinet as a minister lands on her desk, the lure of national power tests the lines she drew at home. The more she considers leaving the town’s front lines, the more she questions whether promises made to constituents will survive the pull of a bigger stage. Behind the speeches, the town's streets bear the weight of neglected housing and stalled redevelopment, where residents rally for decent living conditions and public funds seem scarce. The drama unfolds with intimate scenes inside council chambers and backroom conversations that reveal how power tests loyalties and exposes the strain between public service and personal ambition.

Thomas Kruithof directs Promises from a screenplay by Jean-Baptiste Delafon. This French drama, released in 2022, presents an original story about a local leader weighing a national career against her core commitments, with strong performances anchoring the drama.

Reception frames Promises as a focused portrait of political calculus rather than fireworks. Huppert and Kateb ground the drama with precise performances, and the film probes the tension between duty to a town and the lure of a national platform, asking what integrity costs in politics. Viewers rate it 6.347/10 from 118 votes.

Box office figures for Promises have not been widely reported, suggesting a modest commercial footprint and limited release outside of France.

Culturally the film has not spawned widespread catchphrases or iconic scenes. It comes across as a precise, quiet portrait of public service under pressure rather than a breakout cultural moment, with its strength resting in performances and pragmatic storytelling.