Elle Fanning leads the cast of the Sentimental Value film, portraying Rachel Kemp, a young American actress who travels to Norway for her first collaboration with a distinguished Scandinavian filmmaker. This new feature, directed by Joachim Trier and also starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve, blurs the lines between fiction and reality, as Fanning’s own background mirrors the journey undertaken by her character.
Sentimental Value is directed by Trier, acclaimed for his previous work on The Worst Person in the World. Fanning steps into the shoes of Rachel Kemp, navigating a new country and artistic partnership—much as Fanning herself did during filming. The film is now showing in UK cinemas, providing audiences a deeply personal lens into the world of filmmaking and cultural crossover.
Parallels Between Life and Art
Rachel Kemp’s story in Sentimental Value closely shadows Fanning’s real-life experience, intensifying the emotional depth she brings to the role. Fanning herself acknowledged these similarities, confronting the meta quality of her on-screen journey reflecting her own. When interviewed by RadioTimes.com about the overlap between character and actress, she said:
“I always feel like with acting… I mean, you are yourself, so you are maybe subconsciously drawing from things you’ve experienced,”
– Elle Fanning, Actress.
Fanning went on to discuss the emotional resonance she felt while inhabiting Rachel’s character. She described moments when her lived experiences bled into her performance, though she drew a clear distinction between herself and Rachel.
“Normally, I try to separate, but there were feelings that Rachel felt that I’ve definitely… I can say I’ve felt before. Maybe not to the magnitude that she is feeling them when we meet her, but you can’t help but kind of see the meta-ness of it all, and the correlations between what is going on with me being an American actress coming to Norway for the first time to work with a Norwegian filmmaker.”
– Elle Fanning, Actress.
Making her first trip to Norway for this film, Fanning found herself drawing on the novelty and uncertainty inherent to both her and her role. She also clarified the relationship between actor and character, noting:
“I mean, that was all happening in real time, so you can’t help but pick up things and kind of put that into the character. But I still, I think she is quite different from me!”
– Elle Fanning, Actress.
Exploring Complex Characters with Stellan Skarsgård
In the film, Gustav Borg, a once-celebrated director now seeking inspiration, is portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård. His nuanced performance captures the struggles of a creative figure balancing artistic ambition with personal challenges. Skarsgård shared insights into building the character without drawing too much from real-life directors he has previously worked with, instead focusing on traits and generational aspects he could connect with.
Skarsgård reflected on the personal challenges artists often face, especially the difficulty in balancing art and everyday life. He provided a candid look at these internal battles:
“I mean, I’m an actor, I can play what the f**k whoever,”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor.
Discussing the generational gap between himself and his character, Skarsgård highlighted the differences in outlook and manner:
“What wasn’t like me at all was [that] he definitely belonged to an older generation than me, even if he has the same age. He’s a very 20th century man. But then I could relate to him, because I know them.”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor.
Skarsgård also described the core tension for artists, where passion for creativity clashes with the desire or need to maintain normalcy:
“What I really could relate to is the artist that has the problem with dealing with his personal life and combining his passion for the art with the necessity of living a normal life too. Because as an artist, unlike other professions, it’s not a profession. I mean, you have to do it, because if you don’t do it, you’ll die, in a way. And you won’t be the same person. But it’s hard to combine sometimes.”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor.
Communication Through Art and Emotional Honesty
A central theme in Sentimental Value is the notion that art can express deeply personal or uncomfortable truths more effectively than ordinary conversation. This idea resonated not only within the film’s narrative but also with Skarsgård, who observed Trier’s skill in capturing the subtleties of human emotion:
“But what is fantastic with Joachim is he shows all the unspeakable things, all the things that you can’t explain in words, all the difficult things that you can only feel – and he manages to capture that.”
– Stellan Skarsgård, Actor.
The film moves viewers by exploring the boundaries between what can be spoken and what must remain deeply felt, demonstrating Trier’s talent for illustrating the unspoken with cinematic finesse.
Impact and Future Reception
With Sentimental Value now screening in the UK, audiences have the chance to witness a story that intertwines the personal and artistic journeys of its characters and cast. The collaboration between Elle Fanning, Stellan Skarsgård, and Renate Reinsve, under Joachim Trier’s direction, presents an intense, emotionally charged look at the intricacies of creativity, generational exchange, and cultural discovery.
By drawing upon their real-world experiences, the actors enhance the depth and complexity visible on screen, making Sentimental Value a significant addition to contemporary cinema. The film’s exploration of identity, communication, and the creative process promises ongoing conversation among viewers and critics as it continues its theatrical run.
