Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi) is about a broken family trying to make up and get back together. This is a common theme in films entered in the International category of the Academy Awards. Most notable in 2026 is the Taiwanese film Left-Handed Girl. So, if this is such an overworked genre, why did Sentimental Value garner nine Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture?
Yes, the acting is excellent, which is a good sign that director Joachim Trier deserves credit too. But my guess is that what caught the attention of Academy voters is that the father, Gustav Borg (Stellan Skarsgård) is a film director, and one of his daughters, Nora (Renate Reinsve), is an actress. For Academy voters and most reviewers, this is the cinema equivalent of clickbait.
When Gustav writes a script for Nora to star in, she refuses. So he finds a famous U.S. actress, Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning), to take the part. She backs out, so this is a distraction that is not surprising and goes nowhere.
It should also come as no surprise that the family reconciles.
Trier was previously nominated for The Worst Person in the World, which also starred Renate Reinsve.
