In orthorhombic perovskite oxides (${RM\mathrm{O}}_3$), substituting $R^{3+}$ rare-earth cations tailors the spin, orbital, and charge degrees of freedom of the central $M^{3+}$ transition metal cations through lattice distortions. In turn, these modify also the surrounding environment of $R^{3+}$. When both $R^{3+}$ and $M^{3+}$ exhibit magnetic properties, phenomena such as spin reorientation and magnetization reversal can occur. In fact, the underlying exchange interactions between $M\text{−}3d$ spins and $R\text{−}4f$ magnetic moments enrich the multifunctional character of ${RM\mathrm{O}}_3$, particularly when combined with structural distortions. They play a crucial role in achieving appealing properties such as robust magnetoelectricity with noncollinear magnetic orders. Here, we explore the exchange coupling in epitaxial ${\mathrm{PrVO}}_3$ thin films, selectively probing the magnetism of cation sublattices, and uncovering simultaneous ${\mathrm{V}}^{3+}3d$ spin reorientation and ${\mathrm{Pr}}^{3+}4f$ magnetization reversal using spectroscopy techniques. By strain engineering, we manipulate the lattice distortions to rationalize their role in coupling $3d$ spins and $4f$ magnetic moments. Theorectical calculations show that octahedral rotations and Jahn-Teller distortions act as tuning mechanisms, promoting competition between orbital and spin orders. The observed coupling between magnetic cations and lattice distortions can be extended to other orthorhombic ${RM\mathrm{O}}_3$ systems, advancing the understanding of controlling spins in engineered perovskite heterostructures and superlattices.

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• Jahn-Teller effect
• Magnetic coupling
• Magnetic order
• Structural properties
• Antiferromagnets
• Magnetic thin films
• Strongly correlated systems
• Density functional theory
• Epitaxy
• Laser ablation
• Strain engineering
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy
• X-ray magnetic circular dichroism