Norway is thrilled with director Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” winning the country’s first Academy Award for international feature film.
The film, director Trier’s sixth feature, is a sequel to The Baddest Man in the World, which was nominated for international and best original screenplay in 2022. It premiered at Cannes last year, won the grand prize, and was considered a front-runner for this year’s international Oscars.
“This is a historic moment for Norwegian cinema,” said Kersti Moe, CEO of the Norwegian Film Institute. On Sunday night, he attended the Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theater with Norwegian Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery and the Sentimental Values team.
“First and foremost, I would like to congratulate the filmmakers, producers, actors and everyone who contributed to the making of this film. This is a huge recognition of the makers of this film and their extraordinary artistic collaboration,” she added.
Norway’s first Oscar “also shows the importance of Nordic-European cooperation for Norwegian cinema,” Mo continued, “and how important it is to defend the model of cultural policy and artistic freedom working together.”
“For a small film nation like Norway to receive such international recognition shows what can happen when filmmakers are given time, trust and artistic freedom to develop their stories. This success is also the result of a long-term film policy in Norway, where we have built a strong creative community and created space for artistic ambitions,” she stressed.
Jaffrey commented, “Congratulations to everyone involved in “Sentimental Value,” which won Norway’s first Oscar for Best International Feature Film.
“Your films have resonated with audiences and film lovers around the world, and now you have received the greatest recognition that an international film can receive. Following tonight’s historic result, I would also like to congratulate the entire Norwegian film community for your hard work over the years,” she said.
“Sentimental Value” stars Stellan Skarsgård as a charismatic film director who is estranged from his daughters, played by Renate Rijnsve and Inga Ybsdotter Lilleas, and also stars Elle Fanning. It will be produced by Maria Ekerhovd for Mer Film, Andrea Berentsen Ottmar for Eye Eye Pictures, Lizette Jonjic and Sisse Graum for Zentropa in Denmark/Sweden, Juliette Schrameck for Agat Films, Nathanaël Karmitz and Elisha Karmitz for MK2 Productions in France, and Janine Jackowski and Jonas Dornbach for Komplizen in Germany.
“This movie is about a very dysfunctional family,” Trier said in his acceptance speech. “Rather, I would like to end by quoting or paraphrasing the words of the great American author James Baldwin, who reminds us that all adults have a responsibility to all children. Let us not vote for politicians who do not take this seriously.”
Sentimental Value was nominated for nine Oscars: Best Picture, Best International Film, Best Director for Trier, Best Original Screenplay for Eskil Vogt and Trier, Best Actress for Reinsve, Best Supporting Actor for Skarsgård, Best Supporting Actress for Ybsdotter Lilleas and Fanning, and Best Editing for Olivier Bugge-Cotte.
