IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit 'Sentimental Value' Director Joachim Trier
14 snips
Dec 17, 2025 
Norwegian-Danish director Joachim Trier, known for his acclaimed films like Worst Person in the World, dives into his latest work, Sentimental Value. He shares how personal memories influenced the film's narrative and the complex emotional storytelling tied to a family home. Trier discusses using unique cinematic techniques to capture different perspectives and highlights Elle Fanning's nuanced performance. The conversation touches on themes of generational trauma and the delicate balance of storytelling that intertwines fiction and reality.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Polyphonic Structure Carries Theme
- Trier aimed for a polyphonic emotional arc where multiple viewpoints converge on one theme.
- He lets a seemingly secondary character (the younger sister) carry the heart of the film.
Art Mirrors Family's Unspoken Wounds
- The film's theme ties the fictional and real: creative work mirrors unspoken family life.
- Trier frames family transference and inherited emotional weight as central to reconciliation.
The Film Within Mirrors Gustav's Longing
- Gustav's film within the film, titled Jämlängsel, embodies 'longing for home' and mirrors his trauma.
- Trier connects Gustav's mother's wartime torture and suicide to his emotional inability to create home.