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Presented at the 73rd San Sebastian Film Festival, Joachim Trier’s newest film, Sentimental Value, marks another deeply personal piece in the Norwegian director’s filmography. Along with showcasing the film, Trier opened up about his creative process, fatherhood fears, and the necessity of artistic control in a world increasingly shaped by external pressures.
A Vision That Stands Firm
Whether with Reprise, Louder Than Bombs, or The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier has always approached cinema as something intimate and uncompromising. At San Sebastian, he spoke candidly about one of his defining principles: having final cut on all his films. For Trier, it’s not about ego—it’s about responsibility.
He explained that this approach was set in motion from his very first feature. “If I ask actors to go to vulnerable emotional places, or crew to work tirelessly to create a certain atmosphere, then I owe them a film that captures our shared vision,” Trier said. It’s a principle that has occasionally complicated financing deals, especially across the Atlantic, where American studios are less accustomed to giving full control to directors.
As someone who’s followed Trier’s work for years, I find this insistence inspiring. In an industry where compromises are too often baked into the process, Trier’s stand feels like a rare act of integrity. To read Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton face off in 2026’s Apex trailer
Europe as a Safe Creative Space
Despite the challenges, Trier has found receptive ground in Europe. Sentimental Value, like much of his past work, is backed by European financing. The creative freedom afforded by that system, he underlined, allows directors like him to take risks without watering down their voice.
And the result speaks volumes. Sentimental Value took home the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, reaffirming that artistic conviction can still resonate strongly on the international stage.
For those unfamiliar, the film centers on:
- Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), daughters of aging filmmaker Gustav Borg,
- Their father, portrayed with a quiet gravity by Stellan Skarsgård,
- Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning), a curious American actress intrigued by one of Borg’s new projects.
It’s a film about legacy, family ties, and the quiet fears that linger between generations.
Fatherhood, Reflected Onscreen
During the festival, Trier didn’t shy away from talking about vulnerability—particularly his own as a parent. He admitted that much of Gustav’s character came from a place of anxiety. “I’m really scared of failing as a father. It’s very symbolic to make this film for me, because I don’t want to be Gustav,” he said. To read Ranking Shyamalan’s Hits: Which Film Defines His Legacy?
As a viewer, those words stick. Watching Gustavs and Noras unravel onscreen, it becomes clear how much of Trier’s personal exploration breathes within every scene. There’s a tenderness, a questioning, that feels lived-in rather than scripted.
Shifting Dynamics in Norwegian Cinema
Trier also pointed to the changing landscape behind the camera. In Norway, the rise in female directors has, according to him, helped foster healthier, more reflective work environments. “The feminist discourse around cinema has helped men also allow ourselves bigger freedom of figuring out how we make movies as parents,” he observed.
It’s a shift Trier welcomes. Behind his reserved speech lies a clear admiration for how these cultural changes have prompted richer conversations—not just about storytelling, but about the people who tell them.
A Plea for True Collaboration
More than once, Trier described filmmaking as a collective, emotional endeavor. And in closing, he directed a very clear message to those holding the purse strings: “Don’t employ directors unless you really want to support them and love them.”
It’s a plea born not from frustration but from passion. Because for Trier, directing isn’t a job assignment—it’s emotional labor. It’s an act of faith.
As Sentimental Value continues its path across international festivals, this film doesn’t just mark another strong addition to Trier’s body of work. It reminds us that some stories are born not in boardrooms, but in quiet fears, honest conversations, and the unspoken trust shared between an actor and their director.
