Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value Explores Family Trauma and Artistic Legacy

Director Joachim Trier has released his latest film, Sentimental Value. The movie stars Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård. It premiered internationally this month.The film is a family melodrama centered on a fractured father-daughter relationship. It follows Trier’s Oscar-nominated work on The Worst Person in the World.

Century-Old Family Home Anchors the Film’s Narrative

The story unfolds largely inside a family villa owned for generations. Trier was inspired by his own family’s experience of selling his grandparents’ house. He wanted to explore how a century of history and trauma lives within a home.Production designer Jørgen Stangebye Larsen spent months finding the perfect location. They eventually used the same house from Trier’s 2011 film, Oslo, August 31st. The interiors were so crucial that the team rebuilt the first two floors in a studio for period flashbacks.

Cinematic Techniques Mirror a Century of Film History

Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen used different lenses and film stocks for each era. This approach traces the history of cinema alongside the family’s history. Early scenes used hand-cranked 16mm for a 1920s feel.According to Reuters, the visual style evolved through the decades. The team avoided a romanticized period look. They aimed for an authentic, lived-in feeling instead.The final emotional scenes were shot with intimate, handheld cameras. Tuxen estimated 60 percent of the film was shot this way. This technique brings the audience directly into the characters’ emotional space.

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Thought you’d like to know

What is Sentimental Value about?

The film follows a troubled actress, Nora, reuniting with her estranged filmmaker father. He returns to sell the family home after her mother’s death. He also wants her to star in a film based on their family’s traumatic past.

Who stars in the new Joachim Trier film?

Renate Reinsve, the breakout star of The Worst Person in the World, plays the lead role of Nora. She is joined by Stellan Skarsgård as her father and Elle Fanning as an American movie star.

How does the film’s style change throughout?

The cinematography evolves to match different decades, from 1920s-style 16mm to modern digital. This technique visually represents the passage of time and the layers of family history contained within the house.

Is this film a sequel to The Worst Person in the World?

No, it is a standalone family drama. It continues Trier’s exploration of complex relationships but features an entirely new story and characters.

What is the main theme of the movie?

The central theme is the reconciliation of a fractured family through art. It questions what we inherit from our parents and what we pass on to our children.