Eight Amandas for Trier's 'Sentimental Value'

Joachim Trier's Oscar-winning film 'Sentimental Value' became the biggest winner at this year's Amanda Awards, taking home eight trophies, including the award for Best Norwegian Film. Trier was also honoured with the Best Director award, while he and long-time collaborator Eskil Vogt won Best Screenplay for the film.

Reflecting on their creative partnership, Trier and Vogt told Variety earlier this year, "There's a lot of stuff going on when you make and release films, and we both like to go back to that safe space and rediscover that calm where it's just our two voices."

Vogt added, "When I write alone, I procrastinate. When I'm procrastinating with Joachim, even if I haven't done anything, at least I got to spend a day with my friend." Trier responded, "Eskil is my longest relationship outside of my parents. We don't need to be silly romantic about it, but we have to be honest: it's a real gift."

Other Major Winners

Paul Thomas Anderson's hit 'One Battle After Another' won the Amanda Award for Best Foreign Film. In acting categories, Pia Tjelta won Best Performance in a Leading Role for 'Don't Call Me Mama' — her second Amanda — while Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas received the Best Supporting Role award for 'Sentimental Value'. Anna Drakopoulou Sverrisdóttir was named Newcomer of the Year for 'Brightly Shining'.

The People's Amanda went to 'The Battle of Oslo', directed by Daniel Fahre. The film depicts the sinking of the German cruiser Blücher under the leadership of Colonel Birger Eriksen during World War II. Fahre described the event as "one of the most famous events in our history. Some people are calling it the single most important event during the WWII in Norway." He added, "We kept it quite accurate, also because it's such a thrilling story. But we had to look for its emotional side, because there's no mention of that in military reports. I am sure Colonel Eriksen had doubts, that he was afraid. But nobody wrote about it."

The film was the previous year's opening film at the Norwegian International Film Festival Haugesund.

Additional Honors

Per Christian Ellefsen received the Amanda Committee's Honorary Award, while Mette Holme Nielsen and Jannecke Bervell received the Golden Clapper. The awards were hosted by Vegard Larsen and Linnea Myhre, and the broadcast was produced by Monster for NRK.

In the technical and genre categories, 'Sentimental Value' also won Best Production Design (Jørgen Stangebye Larsen), Best Makeup Design (Trine Morland), Best Editing (Olivier Bugge Coutté), and Best Cinematography (Kasper Tuxen Andersen). 'Rally from Paris to the Pyramids' won Best Sound Design (Johannes Dekko) and Best Original Score (Ola Kvernberg). 'A Mouse Hunt for Christmas' won Best Children's Film and Best Visual Effects (Fredrik Fottland, Andreas Hylander, Jonas Larsen, Simon Jansson). 'Flophouse America', directed by Monica Strømdahl, won Best Documentary. 'Brightly Shining' won Best Costume Design (Alva Brosten), and 'Fata Morgana', directed by Aasne Vaa Greibrokk, won Best Short Film.

The producers of Best Norwegian Film winner 'Sentimental Value' were Maria Ekerhovd and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar.