Sentimental Value (original title Affeksjonsverdi), the latest film by Joachim Trier is co-written with Eskil Vogt and features Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, with a cameo appearance by Elle Fanning. Premiering in the Official Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, it took home the coveted Grand Prix at this 78th edition. The film is set to hit French theaters on August 20, 2025.
Following Julie (in Twelve Chapters), which earned Renate Reinsve the Best Actress award at Cannes in 2021, Joachim Trier returns to the Croisette with a family drama that continues to explore his favorite themes: personal memory, unspoken secrets, and the way art intertwines with emotional wounds. This time, the story is woven into a more ensemble-style narrative, offering multiple perspectives within a single family.
Following their mother's death, Agnès and Nora are shocked to see their father, Gustav, reappear after years of absence. Once a renowned director, he now aims to revive his career by bringing a new screenplay to the screen, offering Nora—who has become an actress—the lead role. Confronted with his belated return, Nora firmly declines, her response tinged with mistrust and painful memories. Gustav then turns to a rising Hollywood star, setting the stage for a shoot in Norway that becomes a catalyst: a mirror to familial patterns and an opportunity for redemption. Each character finds themselves faced with the legacies—chosen or not—that they carry forward.
The origin of the film is rooted in a personal experience: the sale of the director's family home, which sparked a reflection on emotional inheritance and the subjective nature of memory. In Valeur Sentimentale, the house takes on a central role, envisioned as a true character: a place filled with traces of the past, where grief, anger, and silences are passed down through generations.
The direction relies on a meticulous play of light and timing. Cinematographer Kasper Tuxen, who previously worked on Julie (in 12 Chapters), crafts visuals within a lively setting that’s mostly open to the outdoors, using seasonal changes as a storytelling element. The soundtrack, thoughtfully curated like an emotional memory, frames the narrative with distinctive musical choices—from Terry Callier to Labi Siffre—evoking the warmth of nostalgia and the melancholy of the present.
Returning to the cast, Renate Reinsve reunites with Joachim Trier, embodying a character crafted specifically with her in mind—more emotionally complex and conflicted than in their previous collaborations. Stellan Skarsgård takes on the role of Gustav, an absent father and artist seeking a second chance, while Elle Fanning lends an international flair to the film, portraying a star searching for deeper meaning. Her character vividly reflects the tension between public recognition and personal fractures.
Awarded the Grand Prix, the film stands out as one of the notable titles at the Cannes Film Festival competition. It affirms the unique place of the Trier/Vogt duo in contemporary European cinema—blending psychological insight, exploration of family bonds, and a meditation on what art can— or cannot— mend.
Sentimental Value
Film | 2025
Release date in theaters: August 20, 2025
Drama | Duration: 2h13
Directed by Joachim Trier | Starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas
Original Title: Affeksjonsverdi
Country: Norway
Straddling the line between familial drama and a meditation on creation, Valeur Sentimentale explores how a family tells its story — and unravels — through what they pass down, what they hide, and what they reenact. Awarded at Cannes, the film is recognized for its focus on relationships while also reflecting on the role of cinema itself in reshaping lives.
To extend your in-theater experience, check out the August movie releases, explore the must-see films of the moment, and browse our selection of highlights from the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
