Sentimental Value: A Punk-Rock Tenderness Analysis

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The film "Sentimental Value", winner of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, is coming to theaters. This is a two-hour lyrical drama in which there are no negative characters. Klara Khomenko, who saw the film, is going to support it at the upcoming Oscars and shares her impressions of why this film captures and does not let go of the viewer.

Nora, played by Renate Reinsve, has outstanding acting abilities and has achieved significant success in her career. Her younger sister, Agnes, played by Inga Ybsdotter Lilleås, is a caring wife and loving mother. Their father, renowned director Gustav Borg, played by Stellan Skarsgård, abandoned the family many years ago. On the day of his ex-wife's funeral, he reappears in the daughters' lives, and Nora hopes he has come with a sincere apology. Instead of offering an apology, Gustav invites Nora to read his new script and play the lead role in an upcoming film. However, she declines, so the director decides to offer the role to Hollywood actress Rachel Kemp, played by Elle Fanning. Gustav plans to film his movie in the house where three generations of his family once lived, including the daughters who were abandoned.

In his youth, Joachim Trier, director of the film "Sentimental Value", tried himself as a drummer, but was so inept that he was was ultimately expelled from the band. This is truly significant, considering that the band performed punk rock. As a result, Trier chose a different path to express his protest against society: he began making films without evil characters. Tenderness became his new form of punk.

“I can’t focus on antagonists, even though it’s the number one topic in the world at the moment. It doesn’t interest me. I’m much more fascinated by exploring the intricacies of why people are ultimately capable of hurting and disappointing each other,” Trier shared his thoughts after the screening of Sentimental Value at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film was greeted with a thunderous applause lasting 19 minutes.

The film won the Palme d’Or, and the Norwegian Film Academy selected it as a contender for the Best Foreign Language Film award. Moreover, the cast was named best at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The question arises: is it worth it for Russian audiences to spend more than two hours watching this film, not to mention the financial cost? In our opinion, the answer is yes. Beyond its artistic merits, "Sentimental Value" possesses a rare quality in contemporary cinema—the director and screenwriter's sincere love for humanity. Unlike contemporary trends, Trier created a film in which reality turns out to be significantly more positive than it might appear to viewers. The Borg sisters don't clash over their childhood experiences—on the contrary, they support each other as they overcome them. The Hollywood star isn't a fake—she's genuine, gifted, and genuinely cares for those around her. Gustav, who initially appears as a toxic monster, ultimately reveals himself to be a man capable of deep love. However, his way of expressing his feelings remains incomprehensible to most, except Nora: the eldest daughter, who in many ways resembles her father, inherited not only his talent, but also his traumas that arose during the Second World War.

This part of the narrative is of particular importance to Trier, since the fate of the Borg family in many ways echoes his personal history. The director's grandfather was captured during the war and spent several years in a Nazi-run camp. This experience left a deep mark on his interactions with others: a man already raised with emotional reserve found it extremely difficult to openly express his love for children.

The hero, played by Stellan Skarsgård, also faces difficulties expressing his feelings and must find alternative ways to overcome his muteness. The script he creates for his daughter is simultaneously a declaration of love and a plea for forgiveness—something Nora so yearns for but is unable to recognize. Her father's disappearance has rendered her insensitive to his attempts to connect, while simultaneously depriving her of the opportunity to express her own experiences. Nora can only express her emotions on stage, which leads to one of the film's most powerful moments. Only a being with the ability to speak like a human can pull them out of this confusion. Whether this will be possible is the main intrigue that holds the viewer's attention. It's safe to say that Trier has created a quiet detective story set in an everyday setting, devoid of murders and antagonists. This is a detective story disguised as a "movie about cinema," and also a story about an old house where games will soon take place instead of housing.

The house in this In this context, it is not just a place of residence, but a full-fledged hero and a crucial symbol, embodying that very “sentimental value” that is passed down from generation to generation, carrying both love and pain.

The two-story wooden building, which was initially painted the color of dried blood and later turned white, even has a unique soundtrack. Composer Hania Rani captured the natural reverberation within its walls, transforming the echo of footsteps and the sound of empty rooms into a key element of the film's score.

This creates an almost tangible sense of space: as Nora moves through the house, we catch not only the sound of her footsteps but also the way the building responds to her presence—it welcomes her, remembers her, and at times, withdraws. The house appears as a living archive, intertwining memories of conversations, laughter, tears, and silence.

In the final frames of the film, the viewer realizes, That a home can evoke the same emotions as a living being. This realization is the main reason to see Sentimental Value in theaters. Joachim Trier, simultaneously an inept drummer and a true punk, connects so deeply with his characters that he makes viewers regret even the fate of the house. In a world immersed in conflict, he gives us the opportunity to feel that love is real, multifaceted, and can be expressed in many ways. Furthermore, the search for villains isn't always justified, even on screen. This is a significant achievement, especially given the current state of mind and the film industry.

Additional information on new releases in theaters:

• The terrifying "The Entity": a thriller about experiencing loss
• "If I had the chance, I would kick you": Mom, put me back in the womb.
• "The New Wave": perceiving French cinema through the prism of the American gaze.
• The battle continues: Paul Thomas Anderson's new film, "Battle After Battle", is released.