directed by Joachim Trier
Ladies and gentlemen, I present you a potential Oscar winner in 2026. Would I award it myself? I don’t know, because I haven’t seen all the nominated films, but I have a feeling it may be a strong candidate. Not only is this production well-made, but it may also play with the Academy members’ emotions. How come? First, let me tell you a few words about the plot. We get to know two adult sisters, Agnes and Nora (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas & Renate Reinsve), who’ve lost their mother and get a chance to rebuild the connection with their absent father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård). The man is a film director who recently has been dealing with some career issues. He meets with his daughters and makes a surprising offer – he wants Nora, who works as an actress, to play in his new production. The woman doesn’t even think about it because there’s no way she can imagine working with her father. Gustav decides to hire an American actress to play the role that is very personal because the film is based on the man’s family history. What comes out of this situation is for you to see, I don’t want to spoil too much. However, I mentioned at the beginning that some cinema people may actually feel extra engaged in this story. The reason why I think so is because an artist’s life is quite specific. It’s not just a job they do, it’s their identity, their passion. So building ordinary relations with artists can be quite challenging. I’m not saying they are incapable of loving someone or starting a family, but you need to accept that their work will always influence your relation. Mostly because art is a tool to fight our inner demons and artists tend to be quite complex people. They can be angels, but you need to read the instruction how not to cut their wings. And also learn to be patient when they focus too much on being artists and not your beloved one. So it’s not an easy adventure, but I’m sure for many it’s a great one. Even though at first you may dislike the character of Gustav, at some point things can change. Also, this film is an important lesson to all the children of difficult parents that there’s a reason why they are like this. You don’t have to accept it, but sometimes it’s worth to remember. This story gives a lot of food for thought and I’m guessing they may win the golden guy for that.
My rating: 7/10
S.
I have nothing to watch 