Joachim Trier and star Renate Reinsve‘s “Sentimental Value” smashed past this year’s record for the longest standing ovation at Cannes on Wednesday evening, with the premiere crowd applauding the “Worst Person in the World” reunion for 15 minutes, clapping wildly past the late hour of 1 a.m. Elle Fanning, who plays a Hollywood starlet in the feature, wiped away tears and embraced Trier as the crowd whooped and hollered for her performance. Her co-star Stellan Skarsgård could be seen blowing a kiss to the crowd.
In Trier’s speech after the huge round of applause, the Norwegian filmmaker choked up and shared he was “very moved” and noted that many in the film had “struggled for years” to make it. “What’s that Buñuel quote? ‘I make films for my friends’? I feel you’re all my friends tonight.”
The 15-minute ovation for “Sentimental Value” is the longest thus far of this year’s Cannes, exceeding the 11.5 minutes of applause that French director Julia Ducournau’s infection drama “Alpha” earned earlier in the fest. The intense reception sparked instant speculation in the room that Trier’s feature could emerge as the frontrunner to win the Palme d’Or.
Though “Sentimental Value” is at its heart a family drama, Trier found several ways to poke fun at the film biz through its meta plot. At one point in the story, a film is acquired by Netflix and Skarsgård’s character is made to do a junket interview with a journalist, who brings up a past box office flop from Fanning’s character’s career. “Get out,” Skarsgard replies.
“Sentimental Value” follows sisters Nora and Agnes as they “reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he hopes will be his comeback film,” according to the film’s synopsis. “When Nora turns it down, she soon discovers he has given her part to an eager young Hollywood star. Suddenly, the two sisters must navigate their complicated relationship with their father — and deal with an American star dropped right into the middle of their complex family dynamics.”
Along with Reinsve, Trier and Skarsgård, the “Sentimental Value” cast is rounded out by Cory Michael Smith and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Trier penned the script with his frequent collaborator Eskil Vogt.
A frequent Cannes selection, Trier first came to the fest in 2011 with his second feature, “Oslo, August 31st,” which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section. In 2015, he returned to compete for the Palme d’Or with “Louder Than Bombs,” a grief drama starring Jesse Eisenberg and Isabelle Huppert. His next time in competition was with “The Worst Person in the World” starring Reinsve, which won her the festival’s award for best actress and went on to receive Oscar nominations for best international feature and screenplay.
