Cannes hit Sentimental Value might be the best film you see all year
Kasper Tuxen
Joachim Trier's The Worst Person in the World , the Norwegian auteur's portrait of millennial ennui starring the captivating Renate Reinsve, remains one of the best films of our present decade—a touchingly tender, incredibly funny and deeply moving coming-of-age saga which rightly earned its leading lady Cannes' Best Actress prize in 2021. That year, Spike Lee's jury chose to award the Palme d'Or to Julia Ducournau's Titane instead—fair enough—but if Trier doesn't win this time around, for Sentimental Value , his hotly-anticipated reunion with Reinsve and fellow frequent collaborator Anders Danielsen Lie, then I will really, truly, be outraged.
In some ways, Sentimental Value is a spiritual sequel to Worst Person— while the latter observed dating, daddy issues and a woman's preparedness (or lack thereof) to be a parent in her turbulent late 20s and early 30s, this new release picks up very slightly later, in a more settled portion of one's third decade, in which, say, your career may have taken off but you're still no closer to building the kind of family so many of your peers now seem to have. It's poignant, poetic, frequently surprising and quietly devastating. And much like its predecessor, it left me paralysed in my seat as the credit rolled, crying tears of joy and reconsidering my whole life.
It's the story of two sisters, Nora and Agnes (Reinsve opposite the enchanting Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), their estranged father, Gustav (a wonderfully prickly Stellan Skarsgård), their dearly departed mother and the entire clan which predates them, but it's also the historical account of a house: the sprawling, creaky, red-fronted, Oslo relic, with giant cracks in its foundations and secret passageways within it, which they have occupied for generations. Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in Sentimental Value. Kasper Tuxen
It's a living, breathing thing which, early in the film, bears witness to their latest tragedy: the loss of a matriarch, which hollows out this home, and creates space for the swaggering Gustav to re-enter it. Nora and Agnes couldn't be more different—the former, our lead, is a celebrated actor, effervescent, flighty, reckless, chronically single and prone to bouts of acute stage fright; the latter a soft-spoken historian with a husband and young son—but they both have difficult relationships with their father. A prolific filmmaker who left them when they were kids, he only really reappeared if he wanted something—and that's still the case now. He has written a script for a new project, he tells Nora, his first in over a decade, and more personal than anything he's ever attempted before—and he'd like her to play the lead, a part that is based on her own life.
She's outraged, and stresses that they could never work together, and so he reluctantly shelves the movie—until, a fateful trip to the Venice Film Festival leads to him crossing paths with Rachel (a luminous Elle Fanning), a movie star on the hunt for a new challenge. Before Nora knows it, Rachel has dyed her hair dark brown, adopted a Norwegian accent and begun rehearsals in their childhood home.
What follows is a film about the process of making a movie, and also of choosing not to make one. Nora continues acting on stage, having an affair with her married colleague (Anders Danielsen Lie, in a brief but effective part, with the pair's chemistry still unmatched) and ponders her father's motivations. All the while, the 70-year-old Gustav assembles his team, reckons with the notion of his own mortality and sets about nailing his film's ending, a sequence in which his protagonist hangs herself, in the very same room where Gustav's real-life mother committed the same act when he was a child.
Is this film about Nora? Is it actually about Gustav's mother? Is it, in fact, about Gustav himself? And what exactly is he trying to do in making it? What is he trying to fix? What wound is he trying to close? Rachel tells him that she doesn't understand her character's thought process—why would she do this when she, in this story, has a young son? Gustav doesn't seem to know either—but he knows it can happen, because it happened to him.
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Cannes hit Sentimental Value might be the best film you see all year
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It's truly one of the most cherished relationships I've built as an actor. He's such a special human being, the most sensitive, considerate, and wise presence, both on- and off-set. It's been a real privilege to spend time with him and learn under his guidance. He's taught me so much about myself and about the kind of person I want to be. His direction not only shaped my performance but also helped me become a more responsible citizen. Through his exercises in empathy, I've grown into a more open and self-aware artist. You and Ishaan Khatter first shared the screen in Dhadak , and now reunite in Homebound . How has your dynamic evolved over the years, and what have you learned from working with him across these two very different films? Because we spent so much time together during Dhadak, we had already built a strong sense of familiarity and trust, which really helped, especially on a set like this, where you're required to be vulnerable around each other. Even though our characters didn't share a lot of screen time in Homebound, Ishaan was around on set quite a bit. One of the most vulnerable scenes in the film, which unfortunately didn't make it into the final cut shown at the festival, required us to be completely comfortable around each other. Courtesy of Festival de Cannes Were there any particularly memorable days from working on set? There's a scene in the film where Vishal's character, Chandan, and I are at the beach. It was a very tender and interesting moment, I really enjoyed performing it. There was something about the location, and also the comfort that came from spending a good amount of time with Vishal beforehand. It felt like we had found our rhythm, and shooting that scene was a genuinely fulfilling experience. Cannes is a big moment. What does it mean for you to take Indian cinema to the world stage? I'm just grateful to be part of a film as meaningful as this one. It's incredibly moving to see how much it has resonated with people and knowing that Neeraj sir created it from such a sincere and genuine place makes it all the more personal for all of us involved. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be part of this story, and the biggest honour has been simply being considered for the role and going on this journey with the team. To now witness how this work of art has touched lives and connected with so many people at the screening, it's incredibly fulfilling. I'm just glad the film is being showcased on a platform as global as Cannes, because that's what it truly deserves. It's a deeply universal film. Martin Scorsese backed the film. Is he someone that inspires you? How did that add a new kind of layer to the film? Martin Scorsese coming on board as an executive producer is something I still haven't fully processed. I've grown up watching his films, and for any film buff, his work represents the pinnacle of cinema. He's a complete stalwart of the craft, and honestly, it feels surreal that someone like him has seen a film I've been part of. The fact that he's been so involved, not just during the script stage, but also throughout the editing process, really shows what a true champion he is for world cinema. It's incredibly humbling and a huge honour to know that he believed in the story enough to be part of this journey with us. From Dhadak to Homebound , how would you say you've evolved as an actor? I think I've definitely become more confident and open as an actor. I'm no longer confused about the value I bring to a film with my skill set. The experiences I've had over the years have made me more malleable and adventurous on set, more willing to explore places that feel emotionally or even physically uncomfortable. I've also started to understand that I don't need to take myself so seriously. A big part of the process is allowing yourself to grow, to explore, and to indulge the child in you, that sense of curiosity and play. I'm happy to be able to tap into that and let it guide me every time I step onto a movie set. I work with more confidence now, with both greater abandon and discipline. After spending a few more years in the industry, I've gained more experience, and with that comes a deeper sense of clarity and assurance in my craft. On a lighter note, your fashion choices have always been stunning. For your Cannes debut, what was the vision behind your red carpet look? The vision honestly came from my sister, Rhea Kapoor. When we spoke briefly about the film and the fact that we were representing this story on a global stage, we decided very early on that we didn't want it to be a hyper-glamorous moment in terms of the sartorial choices. We wanted it to feel dignified and to be a true reflection of my Indian culture and heritage, never in a way that felt gimmicky or forced, but something that was organic to me. We also knew we wanted the look to be dreamy and ethereal, yet subtle, never loud or demanding attention. And I think that's exactly what we achieved.
