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Fanning’s Fashion Statement
Elle Fanning was on the other end of the scale and welcomed the expanding cultural position in Cannes with keenness and elation. What happened was that she went to a press conference on Thursday for Joachim Trier’s new movie “Sentimental Value” wearing a white T-shirt with a very stylish print that said “Joachim Trier summer” right on it. Through this sartorial decision, it was as if she was exactly following a pop star’s recent call for a “Joachim Trier summer” that was announced during her Coachella performance. Fanning’s outfit thus served as a visible continuation of this trending sentiment, further amplifying the buzz surrounding the director.
Furthermore, this stylish appearance occurred against an exciting backdrop of significant festival acclaim.In the case of “Sentimental Value,” the evening of the premiere screening was followed by a highly appreciative audience cheering the film and giving their thunderous compliments. The crowd was extremely happy with the fact that the film was even better than their expectations, and their 15-minute-long applause made everyone know about their pleasure. As a result, this excellent reaction from the viewers put the film in a leading position for the Palme d’Or award.
Naturally, during the press conference, Joachim Trier was asked about Fanning’s prominent T-shirt message. He responded warmly: “I was absolutely stoked that you made that. Charli XCX gave a little hello to us and we are super grateful. Personally, I love her music, she’s genuinely awesome. I also know Elle’s a big fan too.” However, Trier humorously confessed a personal disconnect: “The slight problem is, I’ve been working so intensely for the last three years I don’t even know what a Joachim Trier summer actually means anymore. But honestly, I’d really like to have one.”
Fanning’s Career Evolution
Additionally, the 27-year-old Elle Fanning, who grew up under constant public scrutiny as a child star alongside her sister Dakota, thoughtfully addressed her professional growth. This discussion arose after a journalist observed that her role in “Sentimental Value” might represent her most mature performance to date. Fanning acknowledged this perspective: “As I’ve naturally gotten older now, yes, the professional world definitely opens up wider and you are consequently offered a greater variety of roles. I feel incredibly fortunate and got very lucky specifically with landing this particular part.”
In “Sentimental Value,” Elle Fanning portrays Rachel Kemp, a rising Hollywood starlet presented with a complex opportunity. She is offered a significant role in an intensely personal film project directed by Gustav Borg (played by Stellan Skarsgård). Notably, this role was initially intended for the director’s own daughter, Nora (portrayed by Renate Reinsve). Eventually, Rachel makes the difficult decision to withdraw from the project after becoming deeply entangled in their family’s intricate personal drama. Fanning contrasted this fictional experience with her own career choices: “I’ve never been in the exact same position as Rachel because I personally haven’t gotten so far down the road with a project before needing to back out.
However, I’ve definitely read scripts where I was officially offered one character, yet after reading it thoroughly, I thought, ‘Gosh, I’m just not right for her. Maybe this other character would actually be a better fit.’ I’ve certainly turned down projects because I felt I wasn’t quite right for the role or simply wasn’t ready yet for that particular challenge. Ultimately, I’m very instinctual and consistently go by my gut feeling when making these decisions.”
Growing Professional Confidence
Elle Fanning further reflected on her personal development within the demanding film industry, adding: “I myself have definitely grown in my autonomy and speaking up through the years in this business.” She emphasized how her confidence in expressing her opinions and making independent decisions has strengthened significantly over time as she gained more experience navigating complex professional situations.
Discussing her motivation for collaborating with Joachim Trier, Fanning expressed deep admiration for his previous work. Specifically, she identified herself as a huge fan of his acclaimed film “The Worst Person in the World.” Consequently, she revealed that working with Trier had been firmly placed on her personal “bucket list” of dream directors she actively aspired to collaborate with during her career.
Fanning vividly recalled her powerful reaction upon first reading the “Sentimental Value” screenplay. “Once I actually read the script I was completely floored,” she stated emphatically. She stressed the exceptional rarity of encountering material possessing such profound emotional resonance and intricate nuance. “You simply do not come by scripts like that – ones that are so deeply moving or subtly layered,” she explained. Furthermore, she described reading it exceptionally quickly, noting: “Everyone who knows me can always tell – if I read something really fast, that genuinely means I’m truly excited and completely captivated by it.”
Collaborative Character Development
Detailing the preparation process, Fanning remembered meeting Trier in Oslo before departing to film the large-scale commercial project “Predator: Badlands” in New Zealand. “We had so many incredibly in-depth conversations during that time about precisely who we collectively wanted Rachel to ultimately be,” she continued. Fanning praised the unique creative environment Trier cultivates, describing it as “such a profoundly safe space where you feel entirely comfortable just being open.” She elaborated: “He is truly looking directly at you and genuinely seeing you, thereby skillfully drawing out authentic elements and unexpected depths within your performance that you didn’t even consciously know existed inside yourself.”
During the conference, Joachim Trier also addressed the prominent theme of raw emotion central to “Sentimental Value.” He admitted feeling initially hesitant about tackling such vulnerability, explaining that he and his co-writer Eskil Vogt originate from a distinctly “punk background.” “We naturally identified with counter-culture movements,” Trier explained, “and consequently, we instinctively resisted making overly sentimental or ‘sobby’ movies.” However, their perspective evolved significantly: “But we gradually realized, through the various films we’ve created over the years, that we’ve naturally grown older and the world itself often feels like a very tough place.
Perhaps embracing vulnerability and portraying genuinely vulnerable characters is necessary.” This realization led them to a powerful conclusion: “So we essentially arrived at the conviction that tenderness represents the new punk. For me personally, it absolutely is. It’s precisely what I need right now — I profoundly need to believe that we can truly see and understand each other, that meaningful reconciliation is possible, and that constant polarization and aggressive machismo aren’t the only viable paths forward.”
