Sentimental Value Cast Interviews at the UK Premiere

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Norwegian cinema took centre stage in London as filmmaker Joachim Trier showcased his new film ‘Sentimental Value’ at the UK Premiere.     He was joined by his cast, Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. They discussed their emotions receiving a record 19-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, showcasing their film in the UK, and more during the BFI London Film Festival Gala.     ‘Sentimental Value’ is a Norwegian family drama about a father and famous director (Skarsgård) trying to reconnect with his daughters. It’s Trier’s follow up to his Oscar-nominated 2021 film ‘The World Person in the World’ which also starred Renate Reinsve in the lead role. Report by Burtonj. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Transcript

00:00It's a little bit like someone singing a birthday song for 19 minutes, so you get a bit shy.

00:05This is long and my smile is really stiff.

00:08I don't know, I start blushing a lot and you're like, oh gosh, you know, you get embarrassed.

00:12And it's great and weird and big and crazy.

00:30How are you enjoying tonight so far?

00:33Good, good.

00:34I'm glad to hear it.

00:35Yeah, I've gotten like two meters into the red carpet.

00:37We're warming up.

00:38We're warming up.

00:39It's long.

00:40Hey, if it is even possible to put into words, how has life changed for you since the first time that you collaborated with Joachim to where we are today?

00:49It's changed in so many different ways.

00:52It's hard to put into words.

00:54I think both as a person like hanging around with Joachim is so wise and so intellectual and intelligent.

01:03Like you learn a lot about yourself being in his world of like his scripts and also just hanging out with him and having conversations.

01:12So that's changed a little bit.

01:14And also my way of acting, I think has changed a lot because I was in the theater for many, many years.

01:20And that there you build something, it's very analytical.

01:24And with Joachim I've learned to let go and lose all strains and lose control.

01:29And I think that really defines me as an actor now.

01:32I was buzzing to see that you guys had that 19-minute standing ovation at Cannes.

01:37Yeah, yeah.

01:38Which is the third longest in history, I'm told.

01:40What goes through your mind when you stood there for 19 minutes listening to The Angelation?

01:43What goes through your mind?

01:44Well, actually you don't realize it's 19 minutes.

01:47You just feel that it's, this is long and my smile is really stiff.

01:51And then we got out and we realized how long it was.

01:54And it was, we thought people were joking.

01:57And then we saw it like written down and then we started believing it.

02:02But it was, yeah, amazing.

02:04Obviously a 19-minute standing ovation is very positive.

02:07What have the reactions been from people who've seen the film?

02:10What have they spoken to you about after watching the film?

02:12What have the conversations been like?

02:14It's funny actually because a lot of people say, it's really good, but you know already it's good.

02:22So I won't talk to you about it.

02:23But we love hearing about it.

02:25Tell me more.

02:26Yeah, tell me more.

02:27No, but it's been, it's been really personal to people and it's been personal to us.

02:32It feels like we're sharing something that was so important to us and it becomes important to people watching it.

02:38So that's, that's what you want when you make a movie.

02:41Do you have any expectations of working with Stellan before this project?

02:45And what was your, how did you find the experience of being such a close collaborator with him?

02:49Well, I, I was a little intimidated and I was maybe expecting someone a bit more strict and being, you know, like, uh, yeah, I don't know, more closed off.

03:00But he's so open and warm and he has so much integrity, but it's still like, doesn't give a **** about like the ****.

03:07He will call you out.

03:09And that's very inspiring to hang around with a person like that.

03:13And final question for me, um, obviously you kind of went through the awards and the London Film Festival with Worst Person in the World a few years ago.

03:20Yeah.

03:21Which did fantastically well.

03:22Did that prepare you for this new, uh, kind of venture with your film?

03:26Are you prepared more awards season things?

03:28Like, do you know things you didn't know before now?

03:30Actually, I'm a little bit more prepared.

03:32Well, the nice thing is that now I know some of the journalists and I like, I see familiar faces the first, first time it was so overwhelming.

03:40And now traveling with this group is really nice.

03:42So I, it feels more comfortable, but it's still overwhelming.

03:52How are you?

03:53I'm good. How are you?

03:54I'm really well. Thank you. How are you enjoying being back in London so far?

03:57Oh, I love it. I miss London.

03:59I, cause I filmed The Great here for, for a TV show I did for like three years.

04:04And I haven't been back in a while, so.

04:06Welcome back. Always glad to have you.

04:08I was, uh, listening to, I've been listening to a lot of the interviews that you guys have done for Sentimental Life so far.

04:12Yeah.

04:13And, uh, we're gonna compliment them up next to you, so it might be a little bit awkward, isn't it?

04:16Okay.

04:17But, uh, what I heard about you complimenting Joachim's directing style is nice and kind.

04:22Which struck me, cause I'm thinking, is that not usually the case with directors?

04:25Like, is it, is it particularly nice or something?

04:28Well, I guess it depends. Um, it depends. I've been very lucky, I have to say, that I've worked with very kind people.

04:34I mean, above all, I think that's always the most important.

04:37And the way that you're going to get the best work out of everyone is being kind and being supportive.

04:44And that's exactly what he does.

04:46He makes an environment for you where you feel safe to be vulnerable and to go to dark places.

04:52And, you know, because your walls can come up very easily if you don't feel secure or comfortable with someone.

04:59And so, um, he just, he creates that and, um, God, is just a brilliant director.

05:04I mean, he sees everything. He's right next to the camera. He's not off in a tent.

05:08You know, he's right there watching you while you're filming and just, you can feel that heartbeat, you know.

05:16I don't know who else is on the set with you, but, uh, was it strange being, I guess, the token American of the set, you know?

05:21I was, yes. I think, yeah, I was, I was the only American.

05:25Well, how does it, how can you compare, like, being on a film set where it's a foreign language film, I guess, for us, to an English language speaking film?

05:33Do you have things to compare it to now?

05:34Yes, I mean, I feel like there's not, like, huge differences that jump out.

05:39I mean, I guess the language barrier is one, just meaning that if they're speaking in Norwegian, I can't understand Norwegian.

05:47But there was something, like, quite a relief, actually, to that.

05:51Because normally I'm someone on sets who's always, like, eavesdropping and listening to everything that's going on around me.

06:00And in this case, I couldn't really do that.

06:03And so it gave me, like, a nice tunnel vision and, like, a nice focus to just focus on what I needed to do.

06:09And, uh, yeah, it was calming. I liked it.

06:12That's such a great way to put it.

06:13Yeah.

06:14I don't know about within the film, you must have to have a couple of times to speak Norwegian and flex your foreign accents off.

06:22Has any of it stuck?

06:24No. I'm trying, hey, I'm hanging out with them a lot.

06:27They're trying to teach me little words and things.

06:30And this, I didn't have to speak the language, but I had to do a Norwegian accent, which, but what's funny also about my character,

06:39she's not supposed to be particularly great at it.

06:42She's passable, which I think I'm passable.

06:45Yeah.

06:46There was a 19-minute standing ovation for this film, which I've seen is the third highest in history,

06:52behind Pan's Landing from Bar 9-11, so that's pretty, you know, prestigious.

06:55What goes through a person's head when they're being clapped at for 19 minutes?

06:58Ah!

06:59You're like, ah!

07:00It's like that.

07:01And there's a camera in your face, too, while it's happening.

07:05You don't even know how long it feels, you know, but I, I don't know, I start blushing a lot.

07:10You're like, oh, gosh, you know, you get embarrassed.

07:12But for me, I was just very, very proud and excited for Yoakum, because I think he deserves that.

07:19I agree.

07:20And I know that it's nice to have you, because I know you're a very busy person working on the, like,

07:25Storm Games films that are coming out.

07:26Yes!

07:27Can you give us any updates on how that's going at the moment?

07:29Yes!

07:30I, um, I guess I'm in production.

07:32Yeah, I've, I've shot some things.

07:34I love seeing the cast list and, like, people are categorized into the different factions.

07:38Who are you spending day to day with in that cast?

07:40Who are you bonding with?

07:41Oh, my gosh.

07:42Honestly, I have worked with every, everyone.

07:45I've got to know everyone, which I'm very, yeah, I'm very lucky.

07:50And, uh, Joseph is, uh, is great.

07:52We have a lot of scenes together.

07:53He's really good.

07:54I'm excited for you.

07:55Thank you so much for your time.

07:56I enjoyed tonight as well.

07:58Hey, congratulations on another fantastic film, which has been received so well.

08:02I'm sorry.

08:03Yeah, thank you.

08:04Um, how does it feel to be back at the London Film Festival?

08:07Do you have a lot of memories of, uh, being in London and working in London?

08:10Absolutely.

08:11I went to the National Film and TV School in Beaconsfield.

08:13That was my education as a, as a, the fiction direction course.

08:16Um, and I, it's kind of a dream come true.

08:19Like, uh, London Film Festival, I screened almost all my films.

08:23So this is, you know, being able to come back and now the, the, the carpet's gotten bigger.

08:28There's more panache.

08:29You know, I'm very honored.

08:30It's, it's a real dream come true.

08:32Absolutely.

08:33What I've learned about a lot of, uh, your actors talking about you as a director is that

08:37you are particularly nice and kind, which isn't always the review when it comes to a director.

08:42Is that a style that you intentionally developed or is your personality going into a project?

08:46When I was young, all these people were telling me all these strange things about being a director.

08:50Like, I, I only use verbs, so I don't use any verbs.

08:53So I got very confused.

08:54And I realized you have to be yourself because directing actors is all about trust and getting

08:59to know each other.

09:00And hopefully I can stimulate or support them to do what they do so wonderfully.

09:04And, and with this cast, especially, I, uh, I have a lot of faith in them to do it right.

09:09So I try to not get in the way.

09:10I love hearing about how, um, if I'm wrong, but Norwegian films, you don't say cut.

09:15You say thank you when you're finished.

09:16Yeah.

09:17Is that a tradition?

09:18It's true.

09:19Yeah.

09:20So, so I'll just repeat it.

09:21Like it's a wonderful thing that you heard this and it's true in Norway.

09:24We, um, we don't say cut.

09:26We say talk, which means thank you after a take.

09:28And, and even when I did, I, I, when I worked in London on short films, I, I, I said, cut,

09:34thank you because it was in my instinct.

09:36So a lot of, you know, British acts were smiling and laughing in a sweet way, but you don't

09:41have to thank me every time.

09:42I said, no, but where I come from, that's what we say.

09:45I saw the fantastic news that you had a 19 minutes standing ovation at Cannes, which

09:49is the third longest in history, so I can see.

09:52Uh, what goes through your mind during those 19 minutes?

09:54Does it feel like 19 minutes at the time?

09:56It was beautiful and absurd at the same time.

09:59Uh, it's a little bit like someone singing your birthday song for 19 minutes.

10:04So you get a bit shy, but I'm, I've struggled enough in my life to be in this situation of

10:11being allowed to make film after film.

10:13I, I'm very grateful for that.

10:15So of course you take it in.

10:17As a great friend of mine, a writer from Norway called Bjarthe Breitag once said, when, when I said,

10:22it's so hard to take praise, he said, no, put it on your pouch because you'll be walking in the desert soon again.

10:27So I took it in.

10:29And finally for me, um, worst person in the world did so well in award season.

10:33And you went to the Oscars, obviously.

10:35We're hoping the same thing happens with sentimental value.

10:38Have you learned anything about that award season that you want to take into this, uh, perhaps campaign?

10:43The most wonderful thing about being nominated last time, I thought, was that you are actually

10:47kind of on the road with a lot of colleagues and you befriend them.

10:50Actors, directors, writers, you know, cinematographers.

10:53Suddenly you're, you're this group.

10:55And at the end of the day, you don't really believe in the idea of competition other than to further the attention around movies.

11:02So if that should happen, I would be grateful and hope to meet some new friends, you know.

11:14It's definitely my first, this is like the first promotional tour I've been on.

11:18And it's, uh, great and weird and big and, uh, crazy.

11:23Yeah.

11:24So pick it up, what's the weirdest part about it?

11:25It's just like this.

11:27This is weird.

11:28Yeah.

11:29Not weird maybe, but it's like a difference for me.

11:31Um, but this is lovely.

11:33London is great.

11:34I've, I've only been here for work, but it's great.

11:37It's so like busy and cool.

11:39And yeah, I love it.

11:40You're welcome.

11:41Um, hey, congratulations on this, uh, film, which is really making waves in the industry.

11:46And people are really excited to see it when they finally launch us here.

11:49Um, what are you hoping audiences will take away after sitting down and watching Sentimental Live?

11:54I hope they feel, feel the love that we've put into it.

11:58And I hope they maybe get like inspired to call their parents or their siblings and to try to work out the difficulties.

12:06It's worth it.

12:07It's worth it.

12:08I think sometimes.

12:09Yeah.

12:10Your character has, uh, Stellan Skarsgård as a father.

12:13Yes.

12:14How did you find him as an on-screen collaborator and as an on-screen father?

12:18He's wonderful.

12:19He's such a nice, kind man.

12:21So he's very easy to, to like and to feel safe with.

12:25And that's a great, like, foundation for a father-daughter relationship.

12:29Even though it's a rocky one, it's this feeling of familiarity right away.

12:34Uh, and he's a very good actor and he's very available.

12:37So you can see his emotions in his eyes and he's not lying.

12:40And it's, it's really like thrilling to be able to work with him.

12:44Yeah.

12:45Can I ask you as an expert in the Norwegian language?

12:47Obviously we know this film as a sentimental value, but what is the Norwegian name for it?

12:52Affektionsverdi.

12:53I won't even try and pronounce it.

12:54However, is that, is a sentimental value a direct translation as to that Swedish, sorry, Norwegian word?

13:01No.

13:02That would be sentimentalverdi, but that has a slightly different, it means a little, something a little different in Norwegian than it does in English.

13:09So, Affektionsverdi is a more appropriate, like, translation, I would say.

13:14I actually need someone to confirm that for me.

13:16Thank you for that.

13:17Maybe ask the director.

13:18No, ask you.

13:19And finally on the director actually.

13:20Um, Dropim, everyone says he is a kind director, a very kind man.

13:24Is that your experience and what was special about him and working with him?

13:27Yeah.

13:28He is exceptionally kind and very warm and he creates very safe and stable work environments.

13:36And it feels like everyone's like creating the movie together.

13:40Everyone has ownership, like people, the people working with catering, the people working with lights, with the camera department, everyone is making the movie together, which is really cool.

13:50And, and he just, he's just great, like he sees you perfectly.

13:55He just brings out the best in people, I think.

13:57Awesome.

13:58So much of your time, enjoy today as well.

14:01Cheers.

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