- Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgard, Elle Fanning
- December 26th 2025
- 133
- Joachim Trier
Actress Nora Borg refuses to star in her director father’s new film after years of estrangement.
Director Joachim Trier and actress Renate Reinsve first received international acclaim for their 2021 collaboration, The Worst Person in the World, and they are set for even more global awards attention with Sentimental Value.
The Norwegian film, co-written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, stars Reinsve as actress Nora Borg, who is approached by her estranged father, film director Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgard), about his latest project – he wants her to star in his next movie.
Even though she refuses to act in it, Nora and her historian sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) are forced to become involved in the production because Gustav wants to shoot the film in the family home following the death of their mother and his ex-wife.
After Nora rejects the lead role, Gustav offers it to American actress Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) after they meet at a film festival, even though she is clearly not the right fit for the Norwegian character.
Sentimental Value, which won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, is sure to be a major player in the coming awards season. While it is a sure bet for a Best International Feature Film Oscar nomination, it will likely also cross over into the main categories, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and many acting prizes.
Trier and Vogt have crafted an excellent script filled with realistic, nuanced and flawed characters who have rich, juicy histories and dynamics between them.
The story moves rather slowly, taking its time to unpack these characters and their issues, yet it bizarrely jumps ahead towards the end and skips over some important moments.
After spending so much time with this central father-daughter relationship, it’s frustrating not to see some key moments play out, as it’s clear that a lot has happened off-screen. It robs viewers of a cathartic, satisfying ending.
However, there is no denying the terrific performances across the board. Reinsve has the showier role as the troubled and complicated Nora, but the other three are still powerful in a subtle way, and they are all expected to receive award nominations.
Fanning stands out as the only American in the bunch, and she does a fantastic job of oscillating between Rachel’s two sides – radiant and delightful as her public persona, but serious and self-critical while at work.
Sentimental Value is a superbly written and acted film that is set to do big business this awards season. Don’t miss it!
In cinemas from Friday 26th December.
By Hannah Wales.
© Cover Media