THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD - directed by Joachim Trier
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (VERDENS VERSTE MENNESKE) directed by Joachim Trier
Country: Norway | Program: Official Competition
Cast: Renate Reinsve - Julie | Anders Danielsen Lie - Aksel | Herbert Nordrum - Eivind
At the press conference following the official competition premiere of The Worst Person in the World, Norwegian director Joachim Trier confessed that “I’m not sure there’s any such thing as pure love. There are always too many agendas, both conscious and unconscious, at play.” Trier’s statement neatly encapsulates what he regards as the multifarious nature of love, a question that is endearingly explored by lead actress Renate Reinsve’s character, Julie.
Set amidst cosy house parties, stylish interiors and contemporary coffee shops which combine in an attractive portrayal of the cityscape of Oslo, Julie (Reinsve) remains a loveable everywoman heroine we root for through her hilariously relatable misgivings and numerous false starts as she veers between career paths and lovers over a period of four years. A far cry from director Trier’s previous offerings, which include thriller Thelma and drug-addiction drama Oslo, August 31st, the Nora Ephron-esque sentiments Trier and co-writer Eskil Vogt reinvent in this off-kilter and distinctly contemporary romantic comedy provoked resounding laughter throughout its premiere in Cannes’ cavernous Grand Theatre Lumière.
In the post-premiere press conference inside the Palais des Festivals, I asked Reinsve how much of herself she saw reflected in Julie. “When I first read [the script] I was very moved by the way this woman was portrayed. I felt very close to the character. During the filming process I would try out different things for her, but we always ended up going for whatever felt the most like what Julie would live, you know? We really wanted to capture all the nuances of these universal human elements of her, that everyone can relate to - so that you feel that way [I’d made my pro-Julie feelings known] is the biggest compliment you could give us!”
Reinsve and Trier recalled bringing their erring lead character to life as an invigorating joint effort, portraying what so many young women navigate in experimenting with versions of themselves, and conflicting convictions surrounding who they’re supposed to be with. Trier reflected that female presences and influences in his life, both on-screen and off, contributed to his arrival at Julie’s story. “My mother was a very strong woman, she was a feminist who made documentaries in, amongst other places, Africa—places like Zimbabwe—about women’s rights. [...] A lot of the filmmakers that I’ve grown up loving, people like [Ingmar] Bergman, often had female leads, and it just felt like good cinema to me. So I grew up thinking that was a natural thing that could occur.”
Renate Reinsve’s performance was the buzz of the film for me - a sensitive, emotionally attuned effort sure to return her to the silver screen none too soon.
Following the Cannes debut of The Worst Person in the World, Renate Reinsve was awarded Best Actress in this year’s Official Competition. The film will be distributed in the UK by MUBI, and by Neon in North America.
