After The Worst Person in the World, director Joachim Trier reunites with Renate Reinsve for a new story about grief, art and the families we try to outgrow. This time the drama unfolds in a creaking family home where an estranged father turns his daughters’ lives into material for his next film.
Film details
- Title: Sentimental Value
- Dutch cinema release: 11 December 2025
- Director: Joachim Trier
- Runtime: 135 minutes
- Country: Norway (with a dash of international co-production)
- Language & subtitles: Norwegian and English spoken, with Dutch subtitles at standard screenings and English subtitles at selected Expat Cinema and “EN subs” shows
- Age rating: 9+ (Kijkwijzer: 9, fear, strong language)
- Main cast: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning
- Where to watch in Rotterdam: KINO, Cinerama, LantarenVenster
What’s the vibe?
Sentimental Value follows actress Nora and her younger sister Agnes, still raw from their mother’s death, when their long-absent father Gustav suddenly turns up with a screenplay. Gustav is a once-famous director who wants to shoot a deeply personal film about their family history and offers Nora the lead role. Saying yes might mean healing old wounds; saying no might finally break whatever is left between them.
The tone is that familiar Trier blend of emotional sharpness and quiet humour. Expect intimate conversations in cluttered rooms, stretches of visual melancholy on the Norwegian coast, and the uneasy feeling of watching people mine their own pain for art. It is a family drama with meta-cinematic flavour: arguments over dinner blur into rehearsals, and every small gesture threatens to end up on screen.
Trailer
Check out the trailer below.
Why you might like it
- Eyes: Carefully composed frames in and around the old family house, soft Nordic light, and a final act that leans into festival-grade visual melancholy. The camera lingers on faces, doorways and sea views in a way that rewards patient watching.
- Heart: This is about daughters who deserved better, a father trying to fix things far too late, and the messiness of forgiving someone who still annoys you. If you are into complicated hugs, halting apologies and teary laughter, you are in the right place.
- Mind: The film prods at questions about who owns a family’s story, how far “artistic freedom” should stretch, and whether turning trauma into cinema actually helps anyone move on. Perfect material for a long tram ride debate.
Critical reception
Internationally, Sentimental Value is already a critics’ favourite. On Rotten Tomatoes it sits around the mid-90s in the Tomatometer, with audiences not far behind, praising its performances and emotional honesty. Metacritic labels it a “must see”, with a score in the mid-80s and almost all reviews falling on the positive side. Critics single out Trier’s control of tone and the way he lets resentment, love and awkward humour coexist in the same scene.
Festival-wise, the film premiered in competition at Cannes, where it won the Grand Prix and prompted long standing ovations. It has since gone on to lead the European Film Awards nominations with major nods for best film, director, screenplay and acting. Recent coverage also notes a healthy haul of Golden Globe nominations as it edges into awards-season regular status. In short, this is one of those titles people will still be talking about next year.
Scene to watch for
Watch for the sequence where Gustav gathers Nora, Agnes and a small crew in the family house for an early script read-through. What starts as a professional table read turns into an emotional ambush as the dialogue on the page mirrors real arguments they have never resolved. Trier keeps the camera close, letting glances and tiny pauses say as much as the lines themselves. It is a quiet scene, but it captures exactly how painful it can be when someone else decides to “direct” your memories.
Recommended pairing
- Comfort food with a nostalgic twist: Cook something that reminds you of home, but upgrade it a little – think fancy toppings on a childhood favourite or a dessert you have not made since you moved to Rotterdam.
- Slow walk and deep talk: Stroll along the Maas or through your own neighbourhood afterwards and trade family stories with whoever you went with. This film practically begs for a debrief.
- Creative journalling night: Back at home, write or sketch a memory you would never hand to a filmmaker, no matter how charming they seem. Consider it a private director’s cut of your own life.
Need-to-knows
Sentimental Value runs a little over two hours, so it is an evening commitment rather than a quick watch. Most Rotterdam screenings use Dutch subtitles, but LantarenVenster’s Expat Cinema shows and some KINO slots come with English subtitles, which is handy if your Dutch is still at “ordering at the bar” level.
Although the film is Norwegian, quite a bit of English appears in the dialogue, especially once Elle Fanning’s Hollywood character enters the story. The official running time internationally is listed as 133 minutes; Dutch cinemas round it to 135 minutes, so do not worry about missing extra scenes. At LantarenVenster you can even combine it with a Film&Ontbijt or other special screening format, turning your cinema trip into a low-key outing.
If you admired The Worst Person in the World, this plays like an older, more bruised cousin: less romantic chaos, more parents, siblings and the weight of a house full of memories.
