Jerusalem Film Festival Kicks Off with Cannes Winner “Sentimental Value”
A Cannes-Winning Masterpiece, a Star-Studded Premiere, and 70,000 Film Lovers. Gal Gadot and Lawrence Bender to be honored at the gala.
Jerusalem's 42nd International Film Festival (July 17–26) will open with the Israeli premiere of Sentimental Value, the Norwegian film by acclaimed director Joachim Trier that won the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The gala screening will take place on July 17 at the festival’s traditional opening event at Sultan’s Pool, in front of an audience of some 6,000 attendees.
Sentimental Value follows Nora, a woman grappling with the death of her mother and the unexpected return of her estranged father Gustav (played by Stellan Skarsgård), a renowned filmmaker who offers her the lead role in his new autobiographical film. When she declines, the role goes to an American actress (Elle Fanning), while Nora and her sister Agnes struggle to process their grief and rebuild their lives.
Trier, celebrated for films such as Reprise, Oslo, August 31st, and The Worst Person in the World (nominated for two Oscars in 2021), turns his lens to the intricacies of family dynamics and emotional trauma in what critics are calling one of his most powerful works. The cast includes Renate Reinsve (Best Actress winner at Cannes for The Worst Person in the World), breakout star Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Elle Fanning, and Stellan Skarsgård in a performance hailed as one of his best.
International critics have praised the film: The Hollywood Reporter called it “a subtle and stunning meditation on family and memory—profoundly moving, rich with sorrow and unexpected humor,” while IndieWire described it as “an extraordinarily intelligent, emotionally charged family portrait—Trier’s multilayered masterpiece.”
The festival also announced that Israeli actress Gal Gadot and Hollywood producer Lawrence Bender (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction) will be honored guests at the opening ceremony and will receive special tributes.
As Israel’s largest and longest-running film event, the Jerusalem Film Festival will host around 70,000 film lovers from Israel and abroad. The program will feature dozens of international and Israeli premieres, including award-winning films from leading festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, and Tribeca.
The festival will be led by Roni Mahadav-Levin, CEO of the Jerusalem Cinematheque and festival director, alongside artistic director Or Sigoli. The event is supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Van Leer Foundation, the Jerusalem Foundation, and the Jerusalem Municipality.
Sentimental Value will be distributed in Israel by New Cinema. Ticket sales for the opening event begin July 1, with full festival program tickets available starting July 8 via the festival’s official website.