Joachim Trier Wins Grand Prix at Cannes for Sentimental Value

Norwegian director Joachim Trier has been awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for his film Sentimental Value, starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. This marks Trier's third nomination in the main competition. The film is a co-production with Film i Väst and was partially shot in Västra Götaland.

The Grand Prix is presented by the official jury in the main competition to recognize a film deemed particularly outstanding. It is the second most prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival, following the Palme d'Or.

"Once again, Joachim Trier proves he belongs among the international elite. Having had three of his films nominated for the Palme d'Or and now winning the Grand Prix is a testament to this. Given the world we live in, it's especially gratifying that what Joachim Trier values highly—emotion and empathy—has been honored by the jury. Congratulations to everyone involved," says Kristina Börjeson, Production Manager at Film i Väst.

Sentimental Value is a humorous portrait of a family in Oslo, where the house they've lived in for generations also plays a significant role. The film follows Nora (Renate Reinsve) and her sister (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as their eccentric and charismatic father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), suddenly reappears after a long absence. Once a renowned film director, Gustav now offers Nora the lead role in his new film, but working with her father is the last thing Nora can imagine. American actress Elle Fanning portrays a Hollywood star who arrives in Oslo.

Joachim Trier is one of Norway's most successful filmmakers of all time. His previous film, The Worst Person in the World, elevated him to the international forefront. The film was nominated for two Oscars, won Best Actress (Renate Reinsve) at Cannes, and became a major commercial success in Norway and worldwide.

Joachim Trier continues his screenwriting collaboration with Eskil Vogt. The two have worked together on all of Trier's previous feature films: The Worst Person in the World* (2021), Thelma* (2017), Louder than Bombs (2015), Oslo, August 31st (2011), and Reprise* (2006). * in co-production with Film i Väst)

Sentimental Value is produced by Maria Ekerhovd, Mer Film, and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, Eye Eye Pictures, in co-production with Film i Väst, Zentropa (Sisse Graum Jørgensen), Zentropa Sweden (Lizette Jonjic), MK Productions (Nathanael Karmitz), Lumen Production (Juliette Schrameck), Komplizen Film (Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach), and supported by the Norwegian Film Institute, Oslo Filmfond, Storyline, Swedish Film Institute, the Danish Film Institute, Eurimages, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, FFA, BBC Film (Eva Yates), Arte Grand Accord, and Normandie Regional Fund, National Center of Cinema Film (CNC), Nordisk Film og TV-fond

The film will be distributed by TriArt Film and is scheduled for Norwegian theatrical release on September 12, 2025.

In total, Film i Väst had three films nominated for the Palme d'Or, one nominated for the Un Certain Regard section, and one selected for Cannes Première.

Film i Väst's co-production Un Poeta, directed by Simón Mesa Soto, won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section on Friday.

Film i Väst's previous nominations and wins at Cannes can be found here: Festival de Cannes

Photo: Erlend Štaub for The Norwegian Film Institute