Family Ties and Haunted Walls: Inside Sentimental Value

Sentimental Value is as much a portrait of a family as it is a study of the home they inhabit. In Joachim Trier’s latest work, the Borgs and their Oslo residence are inseparable, the house itself bearing witness to decades of upheaval, from wartime hardship to personal loss. The property, passed down through generations, seems to carry the weight of its history, almost as if it were haunted by the family’s unresolved past.

The Borgs and Their Unravelling Bonds

The narrative centres on Nora, a stage performer, and Agnes, a historian, who have grown distant from their father, Gustav Borg, a celebrated film director. Years ago, Gustav left Norway to pursue his career, leaving behind his daughters after a difficult divorce. His sudden reappearance at their mother’s funeral is marked by two intentions: reclaiming the family home and offering Nora a role in his new project.

Gustav’s latest film draws directly from his own family’s story, set to be shot within the very walls where he was raised, culminating in a depiction of his mother’s tragic end. He pens the lead role for Nora, but she refuses to engage, unwilling even to read the script due to their strained relationship. Undeterred, Gustav turns to Rachel Kemp, a Hollywood actress, whose involvement secures the necessary backing from Netflix.

Art Imitates Life

Despite his earlier acclaim, Gustav has not directed in over a decade, and his career has stalled. Rachel, too, finds herself at a crossroads after a recent professional setback. The two form an unexpected connection after meeting at a French festival, their shared experiences as former child actors creating a sense of mutual understanding.

“Gustav sees something in [Rachel] that ignites this light in her again,”

says Fanning.

“She’s felt a bit lost, and so having him see her, and feel like he really sees her, and then to ultimately give her this opportunity, it’s a beautiful thing. And I think he’s much more open to Rachel than he is with his own daughters.”

Stellan Skarsgård, who plays Gustav, reflects on his character’s contradictions:

“He is capable of feelings, and he’s capable of expressing feelings. He’s excellent at it in his art, but he’s clumsy in his personal life, and it’s funny to see him trying. It’s comic, and it’s tragic at the same time. It’s very funny, but you also feel that he really wants to do it, but he can’t, and that’s the key to him.”

Generational Gaps and Subtle Humour

One scene, both amusing and telling, unfolds at Erik’s birthday, where Gustav gifts his grandson a DVD of Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher. Agnes, bemused, points out,

“We don’t even have a DVD player.”

The moment highlights Gustav’s disconnect not only from his family but also from the changing landscape of the film industry.

Skarsgård notes,

“In spite of being the same age as me, he’s of an older generation, and he’s a 20th-century man.”

He recalls a press junket scene where Gustav is asked if the film will be shown in cinemas, replying,

“Of course, where else would it be shown?”

—unaware that streaming platforms like Netflix have changed the rules.

Layers of Performance and Place

Fanning, an American actress in a Norwegian production, found the experience mirrored her character’s journey.

“There were aspects and scenes that I could understand very, very well, and were happening in real time around me. So you can’t help but acknowledge and take that in,”

she says. She was careful to avoid turning Rachel into a stereotype, crediting Trier’s script for its depth.

“Joachim is not interested in characters that are one-dimensional, and so I loved getting to flesh her out in the many layers of her.”

Rachel, caught between a faltering career and a family drama she cannot fully grasp, becomes an outsider in the Borgs’ world. The house, meticulously chosen for its atmosphere, is as much a character as any of the cast.

“For me, it felt like a very special space,”

Fanning remarks. As Gustav’s film seeks to untangle the family’s painful legacy, Rachel’s presence helps to dismantle the barriers that have long haunted the Borgs’ ancestral home.

Sentimental Value is now showing in UK cinemas.