Sentimental Value, the newest film directed by Joachim Trier, has been chosen by Norway as its official entry for the Best International Feature film category at the 2026 Academy Awards.

This film marks Trier’s follow-up to The Worst Person in the World, which received a nomination for the same award at the 2022 Oscars.It also reunites Trier with actress Renate Reinsve. Sentimental value had its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it competed and ultimately won the Grand Prix.

The family drama, directed by Trier, revolves around sisters Nora and Agnes (played by Reinsve and Lilleaas), who are estranged from their father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a charismatic but emotionally distant film director. Following their mother’s death, Gustav seeks to reconnect with his daughters.He has penned an autobiographical screenplay and desires Nora, a prosperous stage actress, to take on the lead role, envisioning it as a form of cinematic redemption. When she declines, he chooses Hollywood star Rachel Kemp (Elle fanning) for the part, a decision that stirs up long-standing resentments, unresolved family issues, and simmering tensions.

Critical Acclaim and Oscar buzz

“exquisitely well-crafted in every aspect,”

The Norwegian Oscar Committee lauded Trier as “a filmmaker who is confident, assured, and fully at the height of his storytelling talent.” Their statement also described the film as “exquisitely well-crafted in every aspect,” emphasizing its exploration of a “complex father-daughter relationship.”

David Rooney, chief film critic for The Hollywood Reporter, gave the film a glowing review after its Cannes premiere, calling it Trier’s “exquisite new film” and noting “faint traces of Bergman…but also Chekhov and Ibsen,” resulting in a film that is “intensely affecting in a movie freighted with melancholy but also leavened by surprising notes of humor. as always with Trier’s films, its depth of feeling sneaks up on you without announcing itself.”

Sentimental Value, Trier’s sixth feature film, is being considered a potential contender for an Oscar not only in the international feature category but also in the main categories, including Best Picture and acting awards.

Neon has acquired the rights to distribute Sentimental Value in North America, while MK2 in France is managing international sales.

Norway has received six previous Oscar nominations in the Best International Feature category, the most recent being for Trier’s The Worst Person in the World in 2022.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is scheduled to reveal its shortlist for the international feature category on December 16,with the final five nominees being announced on January 22. The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026.