Picture of the movie Verdens Verste Menneske (The Worst Person in the World) © Oslo Pictures
Joachim Trier returns to Oslo… and to the Competition
For Joachim Trier , each film is a new experiment in film language. Having tried his hand at fantasy with Thelma in 2017, the filmmaker now presents Verdens Verste Menneske (The Worst Person in the World) in a return to the Competition six years after Louder Than Bombs. Here, the Norwegian sets up his cameras in the city of Oslo and takes Julie and her existential demons for a walk.
Julie doesn't know what she wants, but she knows what she doesn't want. On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, this young woman feels that she lacks space in her married life with Aksel, a successful author who’s older than her. Then she meets Eivind, a hip and feisty young man with whom she develops a seductive relationship.
In several respects Verdens Verste Menneske (The Worst Person in the World) is like a counterpart to Oslo, August 31 (Un Certain Regard, 2011). Both films are set in the Norwegian capital, whose light Trier is so fond of capturing in his work. There’s also a similarity between the main characters, who both have self-destructive tendencies. But this new feature film is unique in that it delves into new reflections on freedom within a couple, its limits and the social pressure that surrounds it. The film also takes on a new approach to time, as Julie evolves over four years.
To play Julie, Joachim Trier chose Renate Reinsve, who appeared in the nocturnal tribulations of Oslo, 31 August. It’s the first film title role for this well-known Norwegian stage actress, a gift that Trier wanted to give her: "Renate is bold and courageous, she has no problem showing flaws, she has no misplaced ego. "She will be accompanied on screen by Anders Danielsen Lie, an actor and friend of the director's since his first feature film, New Deal.
