‘Sentimental Value’ Editor Olivier Butte Coutté On Balancing A Multi-Character Film So Every Character “Drives The Film”

After working with Joachim Trier on multiple projects, editor Olivier Butte Coutté was prepared when Trier came to him with the script for Sentimental Value. The real challenge came with piecing together a multi-character film, which was new for both of them.

Sentimental Value follows Nora (Renate Reinsve) and her sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as they reunite with their estranged father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a film director with a new script he wants Nora for. In the midst of this tense reunion, Gustav meets American actress Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) and decides to cast her for the role. The biggest challenge for the edit was keeping track of all four stories and making sure they all play out in a satisfying way.

Deadline: When you got the script and got into doing the edit, what were some of your first ideas for the process?

Olivier Butte COUTTÉ: I’ve…