Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale partied for The Promise at Soho House

The pre-screening party for The Promise, at Soho House, was celebratory and fun, but the film’s heavy subject matter—a love triangle that unfolds amidst the Armenian genocide—made the bash more sombre than most. Director Terry George, whose previous credits include Hotel Rwanda, was in attendance with a few members of his cast.

The Stars

Oscar Isaac is of Guatemalan descent, but plays an Armenian medical student in the film. Close enough:

Christian Bale wore all black, like Batman:

Atom Egoyan made a surprise appearance, with his son in tow. Note the Order of Canada pin on his lapel:

Anne Heche showed up in a jaunty hat:

The Scene

Guests dined on miniature grilled-cheese sandwiches, kale salad and halibut ceviche between rounds of Grey Goose cocktails. The no-photo rule went out the window as soon as Christian Bale arrived.

The Gossip

Oscar Isaac, who arrived early, spent almost no time in the penned-off VIP area. Instead, he mingled with the crowd. Latecomer Christian Bale posed for photos underneath a giant moose head. The party chatter was dominated by talk of politics and genocide—The Promise is one of very few films to address the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Filmmakers like Atom Egoyan, whose 2003 film Ararat deals with the same subject matter, hope the star power behind the new movie helps build awareness.