Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier brought the house down at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival with the world premiere of his latest film, Sentimental Value, on May 21. The family drama, starring Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, earned a thunderous 15-minute standing ovation at the Grand Théâtre Lumière, marking the longest applause of the festival so far. The emotional night, which stretched past 1 a.m., left Trier and his cast visibly moved, with Fanning wiping away tears and Skarsgård blowing kisses to the cheering crowd.
Sentimental Value reunites Trier with Reinsve, whose breakout role in his 2021 Cannes hit The Worst Person in the World won her Best Actress. This time, Reinsve plays Nora, a stage actress who, along with her sister Agnes (Lilleaas), navigates a tense reunion with their estranged father, Gustav (Skarsgård), a once-celebrated director hoping for a comeback. When Gustav offers Nora a role in his new film, she declines, only to find he’s cast a young Hollywood star (Fanning) instead, sparking family drama and industry satire. Written by Trier and longtime collaborator Eskil Vogt, the film weaves a poignant tale of memory, loss, and art’s healing power, drawing comparisons to Ingmar Bergman and John Cassavetes.
The Cannes crowd was hooked from the moment the credits rolled. Variety reported Fanning embracing Trier as the audience clapped wildly, while Skarsgård’s charm won roars of approval. Trier, choking up, told the crowd, “I’m very moved. Many of us struggled for years to make this. What’s that Buñuel quote? ‘I make films for my friends’? I feel you’re all my friends tonight.” The 15-minute ovation topped the 11.5 minutes for Julia Ducournau’s Alpha earlier in the fest, fueling buzz that Sentimental Value could snag the Palme d’Or.
Trier, no stranger to Cannes, called the film deeply personal. “I wept a lot making this because I was so moved by the actors,” he told the Fairfield Sun Times. “We were a family too,” rehearsing in an Oslo home that became a character in the story. Fanning echoed this, saying, “I was crying by the final page of the script. It’s so emotional.” The film’s meta jabs at Hollywood—like a scene where Gustav snaps “Get out” during a press junket about a past flop—add a playful edge to its raw family dynamics.
Critics are raving. IndieWire called it “a layered masterpiece,” Trier’s best yet, while The Hollywood Reporter praised its Bergman-esque depth and Reinsve and Skarsgård’s “sublime” performances. Lilleaas, as Agnes, is tipped as a breakout star. Neon, which nabbed U.S. rights after distributing the last five Palme d’Or winners, and Mubi, handling other territories, are betting big on the film’s global appeal.
Fans are just as hyped. The emotional premiere and stellar cast have made Sentimental Value a festival standout, with its mix of heart, humor, and industry wit. As Cannes 2025 wraps up on May 24, Trier’s latest is a top contender, proving he’s still got that magic touch. Catch the buzz now, and keep an eye out for its release to see why this family drama hit so hard.