The Deep Focus: Oslo, August 31st is a 3 week program dedicated to how Joachim Trier builds meaning through form in that film and applying what you’ve learned to Sentimental Value.
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We spend almost all of Oslo, August 31st at Anders’ side.
We follow him through a single day in Oslo — his first since a 10-month stint in rehab — as he decides whether he wants to rebuild his life or end it.
We listen to him, to how other people respond to him — and we even get access to his innermost thoughts.
The film gets extraordinarily close to what it feels like to experience this day as Anders.
And yet, our perspective is never simply his.
We often credit our understanding of Anders to Anders Danielsen Lie’s performance.
But there’s no facial expression for why his life looks as hopeless to him as it does from where he’s standing.
We might credit everything we understand beyond Anders’ perspective to the other characters we meet.
But the film begins before we’ve met any of them — and ends after we’ve left them behind.
Somehow, Joachim Trier’s direction brings us extraordinarily close to Anders’ experience without limiting our experience to his.
The question is:
How?
Two moments, almost 40 minutes apart, give us one place to look.
The film begins with two minutes of other people’s memories of Oslo — before we even meet Anders.
One line stands out:
“How he insisted melancholy was cooler than nostalgic.”
It’s a great line.
But notice what happens around it.
In just a few seconds, you see three images of someone running away — from you, the viewer.
There’s a particular melancholy — and sense of abandonment — from watching someone run away from you once.
Even though we never find out who is running away.
Seeing it three times deepens that feeling — and helps us hold onto it.
Later, Trier returns to that image when Anders says goodbye to his best friend Thomas.
Thomas is walking away from Anders.
Only this time, Anders is in the frame, too. So we experience the moment with him: that Thomas is disappearing behind him.
Except Anders is walking away, too.
Turn the camera around, and the image could work in reverse: Thomas in the foreground, his best friend disappearing behind him.
The same image that brings us closer to Anders’s experience also lets us see beyond it.
And we’ve seen this image before.
In the prologue, three different people ran — not walked — away from us, into the back of the frame.
So now we can experience this goodbye in a way Anders can’t.
Thomas isn’t just leaving Anders. Anders isn’t just leaving Thomas.
People leave. And people get left.
That doesn’t make this goodbye any less devastating.
But Anders feels completely alone in this moment.
We can feel that with him — and also see what he can’t: that he isn’t alone in it.
Once these images are side by side, the conclusions seem obvious.
But that’s not how we experience them when we watch the film. They’re almost 40 minutes apart.
The hard part isn’t seeing the connection once it’s in front of us.
It’s figuring out what to notice, what to hold onto, and what might become possible when we put two moments together.
And we only looked at four images inside a 95-minute film.
For a moment, we weren’t only experiencing Anders’ August 31st.
We were experiencing Oslo, August 31st.
Inside The Deep Focus, we’ll
Over three live sessions, we’ll slow The Worst Person in the World down until you can see exactly how Trier shapes your experience.
By the end, you’ll be able to trace some of Trier’s filmmaking choices that shaped your experience—not just describe what you felt.
And you’ll leave with a better instinct for where to look the next time a film leaves you wondering, “How did it do that?”
Nancy Mills, who joined a previous live session on a different film, described it like this:
“I feel like I have more acute vision and a better understanding of how a director influences what I get out of a film.
Before, I understood what was going on in the character’s head, but could not have said why I felt that way.
The live session helped me do that — and it’s made me understand it more deeply at the same time.“
The Deep Focus is a chance to stay with a film a little longer…
…and see how the film opens up when you do.
We start with Oslo — digging in to key moments, beginning with the prologue.
Then, you’ll return to Sentimental Value with a completely new set of eyes.
I won’t tell you what to think.
But I will show you where to look and ask questions that open the films up.
It runs from April 9–30.
Only 20 seats available.
Two access/concessions seats available — details in the FAQ.
Hi, I’m Alex Heeney: film critic, educator, and Joachim Trier scholar.
I’ve been studying Trier’s work for more than a decade — and now writing a book about his work.
Think of me as a sidekick saying:
Notice this…ponder that…connect these dots…
What took me more than ten years of research and rewatching to uncover in Trier’s work, you’ll begin discovering in three weeks.
As featured in…
The Deep Focus unfolds in four guided steps over three weeks:
1. Start with the prologue of Oslo, August 31st (a dense montage)
2. Follow the prologue’s echoes through Oslo, August 31st
3. Zoom in on the ending of Oslo (a long take)
4. Connect the dots from Oslo to Sentimental Value
Here’s what those steps look like:
1. Start with the prologue of Oslo, August 31st (a dense montage)
In this 90-minute live workshop, we’ll slow the prologue down — sometimes watching just a few seconds at a time — to see how it works.
I’ll guide your attention to the details that matter most, so you can see how images, sound, and editing shape what you feel.
Along the way, I’ll introduce questions that open the scene up in new ways.
👉 Thursday, April 9, 7:00 – 8:30 PM ET. The workshop will be recorded.
2. Follow the prologue’s echoes through Oslo, August 31st
A written guide walks you through two key sequences that echo the film’s prologue.
This is where you start applying the same approach we used in the first workshop.
I’ll still direct your attention to what matters — and help you connect what you’re seeing to the film as a whole.
If something sparks a question or a new observation, you can bring it into the Group Space, and we’ll think it through together.
👉 The guide drops the day after Live Workshop #1 (April 10 at 7:00 PM ET).
3. Zoom in on the ending of Oslo, August 31st (a long take)
A second live (recorded) 90-minute workshop focuses on the film’s final sequence.
Where the opening is a fast montage, the ending is the opposite — a single long take with very little dialogue — which means we unpack it differently.
We’ll break the scene down into beats — looking at how small shifts shape what you feel.
We’ll consider how it contrasts with the opening — and what that shift reveals.
👉 Sunday, April 19, 2:30 – 4:00 PM ET. The workshop will be recorded.
4. Connect the dots from Oslo to Sentimental Value
This is where you apply the approaches we developed in the workshops to the prologue and ending of Sentimental Value.
Like Oslo, Sentimental Value begins with a dense montage and ends with a long take — which makes those approaches transferable.
Because Sentimental Value adds some new layers, a written guide walks you through it.
👉 The guide drops the day after Live Workshop #2: The Ending of Oslo, August 31st (April 20)
You can engage with The Deep Focus: Oslo, August 31st in the way that works best for you
The program unfolds over three weeks, with two 90-minute recorded workshops and two written guides to help you apply what you’ve learned.
Move through it on your own schedule
There are no required live sessions, and you can engage with each part in your own time — with space to ask questions and think things through in the Group Space.
Live workshops (if you want them)
If you join the sessions live, the experience becomes more collaborative.
You’ll be able to shape what we focus on and watch ideas evolve in real time as we build on each other’s observations.
A space for co-thinking
Throughout the program, you’ll have access to a private group space — shared by no more than 19 other people — where you can ask questions, test half-formed ideas, or share something you’ve noticed.
And I’ll be there to respond — not just answering questions, but building on what you’re seeing so we can think it through together.
After the first workshop, you’ll already notice a shift in how you watch films.
Nancy Mills, a founding member of Reel Ruminators, took part in a pilot of the first workshop.
Here’s what she said afterward:
“I want to take the time to study a film when before I only wanted to learn to enjoy it more.
I want to think about this distinction more because I definitely feel a shift.
I was already learning some of that from Reel Ruminators, but now am motivated to do it on my own and perhaps of the earliest scenes before even watching the film.”
That shift — from wanting to enjoy a film more to wanting to study it so you can enjoy it more — is exactly what The Deep Focus is built to support.
And that first workshop is just the beginning.
This will feel like your kind of thing if you…
👍 Have had a moment in a film land — and thought, “wait — why did that hit me like that?!”
👍 Like spotting a pattern in a film — and seeing where else it shows up
👍 Enjoy when watching one film reshapes how you watch the next
The Deep Focus is a space to stay with that kind of experience a bit longer — to slow down with a film, follow a hunch, and see where it leads.
We start April 9.
🎟️ $297 USD
or 2 payments of $165
Only 20 seats available.
Two access/concession seats available each round.
See the FAQs for details.
If you’re still wondering whether this is the right time, or the right experience —
I can guarantee that you’re not alone.
This is the first time I’m offering The Deep Focus — but I’ve been guiding people through film experiences like this for years.
So these questions reflect a mix of what people have asked before joining similar spaces, and what I imagine you might be curious about now.
Do I need any specific film expertise to join The Deep Focus?
Not at all. The Deep Focus is for curious film lovers — whether you’re new to thinking about how films are made or you’ve been paying attention to these details for years.
You don’t need prior expertise — the workshops and guides will help you notice things step by step.
If you’ve ever been moved by a scene and wondered how it did that to you, you’re in the right place.
“I was nervous about stepping in and discussing things that I didn’t know much about. In the end, the atmosphere was accepting and welcoming, so I felt free to join in quite a bit.”
— Sarah Vincent, participant in a pilot of The Deep Focus Workshop #1 on a different film
“The folks who join (in my experience) are overwhelmingly present/curious and not just there to sound smart.“
– Michael Borek, Reel Ruminators Member, USA
Do I have to attend the workshops live?
No. Both workshops will be recorded, and the program is designed so you can complete it fully asynchronously if you prefer.
If the timing aligns and you have the spoons, joining live can make the experience even richer. You’ll be able to shape what we focus on and watch ideas evolve in real time as we build on each other’s observations.
But the workshops, guides, and group space are all designed so the full experience works on your own schedule.
Here is the schedule:
Workshop #1 — Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 pm ET
Workshop #2 — Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 pm ET
(Both workshops will be recorded.)
How much time should I expect to spend on The Deep Focus?
Workshop 1: 90 minutes
Workshop 2: 90 minutes
Guide to Oslo, August 31st: ~30 minutes (or longer if you want to explore more)
Guide to Sentimental Value: ~30 minutes (or longer if you want to explore more)
👉 The core experience: about 4 hours total across three weeks.
If you haven’t already seen the films, you’ll also want time to watch them:
• Oslo, August 31st: 90 minutes
• Sentimental Value: 2h 6m
You can spend additional time revisiting scenes, following extra questions in the guides, or joining conversations in the Group Space.
You don’t need to complete everything within the three weeks to experience the shift — but the more you engage, the more you’ll get out of it.
What if I can’t finish everything in three weeks?
That’s completely fine. It’s designed to be easily manageable in three weeks, but that doesn’t mean you have to complete it that quickly.
The three-week structure is there so we can move through the program together with daily support from me, but you’ll have lifetime access to the workshops and guides.
Many participants revisit the materials when they watch the films again and notice new things each time.
How long will I have access to you?
I will be there live for the two 90-minute workshops.
Beyond that, I’ll be active in the Group Space Monday to Friday for three weeks, starting just before our first workshop. The Group Space will be open for 11 days after Workshop #2.
After that, the Group Space will close.
You’ll still have lifetime access to all the materials: the workshop recordings and guides. So you can revisit them whenever you return to the films.
Do I need to already be a Joachim Trier fan?
Not at all.
The Deep Focus works just as well if you’re curious about Trier’s films as if you already love them.
Part of the experience is discovering how much meaning these films contain once you know where to look and what questions to ask.
If you’re already a Trier fan, you’ll likely find new things to love.
And if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t quite “get” his films, you may find they open up in surprising ways once you know where to look.
Why focus on the beginning and ending of the films?
Because these are the places where close readings of just a few minutes of screen time can shift how you see the whole film.
In Oslo, August 31st, the prologue isn’t part of the main storyline, but it shapes how you read everything that follows.
And the ending looks simple on the surface, but brings together what the film has been building toward.
Starting there gives you a way in to how to read the film.
The prologue and ending of Sentimental Value echo those in Oslo — but with new layers.
So what you learn in Oslo carries across.
How do I watch the movies?
You’ll need to rent, buy, or stream the film yourself.
Oslo, August 31st is available to rent, buy, or stream in the US and UK, and is available on DVD or on Kanopy in Canada.
Sentimental Value is available to rent or buy on VOD in Canada, the US, and the UK. It is streaming on Prime in Canada and Mubi in the UK.
If you’re outside those regions, and you’re not sure if the films will be available in your region (or if there’s a workaround), email me at contact@seventh-row.com, and I will let you know.
Do I get lifetime access?
Yes — you’ll keep access to the materials, so you can revisit anytime, especially as you rewatch these films, or dive into other films!
It’s capped at 20 people.
What if I can’t afford the full price?
If the full price would make it hard or impossible to join — especially due to disability, chronic illness, care responsibilities, uncertain employment or systemic barriers — the access rate is here for you.
I’ve set aside two access-priced seats in each round of The Deep Focus — available at:
- $148.5 upfront (50% off)
- $103.95/month for 2 months (30% off).
There’s no application and no need to explain your circumstances.
If this applies to you, just email me at contact@seventh-row.com and let me know you’d like one of the access seats.
Spots are first-come, first-served. This is one way I’m working to make sure the space reflects the richness of our wider communities — while also keeping it sustainable for me as the facilitator.
What if I change my mind — is there a refund policy?
Sometimes, something looks right on the surface, but doesn’t feel right once you’re inside.
If you register and find The Deep Focus isn’t for you, you’re welcome to request a full refund any time before the first live workshop.
After that point, I don’t offer refunds — both because the real-time content is a huge part of the experience, and because you’ll have access to one quarter of the program.
My hope is that this gives you space to dip your toes in and trust that you’ll know if it’s the right fit.
I have another question!
Email me at contact@seventh-row.com, and I’ll be happy to answer!