Sentimental Value (Affeksjonsverdi), directed by Joachim Trier, has secured nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture—a first for a Norwegian film—after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 98th Academy Awards shortlist of nominees on 22 January.
The film, a family drama set in Oslo, is nominated for Best Picture, Directing, Actress in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, two nominations for Actress in a Supporting Role, Writing (Original Screenplay), Film Editing, and International Feature Film.
Joachim Trier’s Best Picture breakthrough for Norwegian cinema
The Best Picture nod places Sentimental Value in the Oscars’ top category for the first time in Norway’s film history, pushing Norwegian cinema into the centre of the international awards season.
Trier, one of the most prominent contemporary Norwegian directors, is also nominated for Best Director, while the screenplay—co-written with Eskil Vogt—was nominated in the Original Screenplay category. Together, the nominations underline the film’s strength as both a directorial project and a writing-led drama.
Renate Reinsve and a rare double acting nomination in supporting roles
The cast is at the core of the film’s Oscar performance.
Renate Reinsve is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role, continuing her international profile after earlier acclaim for her work with Trier.
In the supporting categories, the film collected two nominations for Actress in a Supporting Role—for Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas and Elle Fanning—alongside a nomination for Stellan Skarsgård for Actor in a Supporting Role. The cluster of acting nominations positions Sentimental Value as one of the year’s most actor-driven contenders.
Editing and international feature nods signal wider Academy support
Beyond the headline categories, the film also picked up nominations for Film Editing and International Feature Film.
For Nordic films, editing nominations are relatively rare at the Academy Awards, and they are often read within the industry as a sign of broader cross-branch support. The International Feature nomination, meanwhile, keeps Norway in contention in a category that has historically been the most realistic Oscars route for Nordic-language productions.
A second Norwegian nomination: The Ugly Stepsister in makeup and hairstyling
Norway’s presence in this year’s nominations extends beyond Trier’s film.
The Ugly Stepsister (Den stygge stesøsteren), the debut feature by Emilie Blichfeldt, has been nominated for Makeup and Hairstyling, adding another Norwegian title to the 98th Academy Awards list.
What the nominations mean for Norway and the Nordic film landscape
Norway has had limited Oscar success compared with its Nordic neighbours, even as Norwegian filmmakers have built strong visibility at European festivals. A Best Picture nomination changes the scale of attention: it typically expands distribution, drives international media coverage, and strengthens the long-term market value of national film industries.
The Oscars ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 15 March 2026. Whether Sentimental Value converts nominations into wins, the outcome is already a landmark moment for Norwegian cinema—and a reminder of how Nordic storytelling can break through in the most competitive global awards arena.
