Screened at El Gouna Film Festival, “Sentimental Value” is an exploration of family, distance, and reconnection. The film is a beautifully crafted drama that explores the complex relationship between a father and his eldest daughter. The film portrays a family bound by love, resentment, and the shared space of their family home, a place that holds both comfort and pain.
Sentimental Value is a slow, reflective masterpiece about family ties, forgiveness, and the painful beauty of reconnection. Its realism and emotional honesty make it resonate deeply with anyone who has navigated the fragile terrain between love and disappointment.
A Story of Estrangement and Reunion
The story follows Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), two sisters whose estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a charismatic film director, tries to reconnect with them after their mother’s death. Gustav abandoned them when they were children, but is now returning to try to reconnect with them.
The Inner Journey of Nora and Agnes
The film primarily follows Nora, the eldest sister, navigating her life, torn between anger and longing for her father’s love and approval. The film mirrors a universal struggle, wanting connection with those who have hurt us, while learning to define our own identity beyond family wounds. From childhood scenes tied to the family home to her adult pursuit of dreams, the film traces Nora’s evolution with tenderness and restraint.
Unlike Nora, who holds tightly to past wounds, Agnes is more forgiving. She sees Gustav’s flaws clearly but chooses to understand rather than condemn him. Steaming from a deep need to restore some form of connection, creating a big and loving family.
Gustav’s Language of Love
Gustav’s attempts at connection often come through his work. As a filmmaker, he channels his emotions into his art, rarely expressing love directly. His nightly drunk calls to Nora reveal his longing and regret, his only form of communication with her. When he tells Nora he’s making a film for her and wants her to star in it, it becomes both an apology and a bridge.
Their relationship unfolds in long, charged scenes filled with silence, tension, and unspoken emotion. The chemistry between them is raw and powerful, especially in their quiet exchanges where affection and resentment coexist in their scenes. Making Sentimental Value, an exploration of family, distance, and reconnection.
Character-Driven and Emotionally Rich
Joachim Trier, director of Sentimental Value, lets the film flow slowly and deliberately, letting viewers sink into the rhythm of the family’s emotional landscape. The film is character-driven and contains beautiful dialogue thanks to the writing of Eskil Vogt and Joachim Trier. It reveals layers of meaning through words, pauses, and looks rather than plot twists.
The cinematography by Kasper Tuxen is visually stunning, with warm tones and intimate framing that mirror the film’s emotional core. The music complements the film scenes perfectly, creating moments that linger long after the credits roll.
A Bittersweet Ending
The film concludes on a note of reconciliation, in a subtle yet deeply affecting scene. It feels like the beginning of a new chapter for the family, a quiet acknowledgment that healing doesn’t erase the past but transforms it. The final shot leaves the audience with a mix of sadness, peace, and hope. Making it a fitting closure to a story about love’s endurance despite its flaws.