The Souvenir is the compelling, semi-autobiographical drama by award-winning director-writer Joanna Hogg (Unrelated, Archipelago, Exhibition).
It’s the early 1980s and Julie (an excellent debut performance by Honor Swinton Byrne) is a student at film school. At one of her house parties she’s introduced to Anthony (Tom Burke), a charismatic but mysterious figure who claims to work at the Foreign Office. Older than Julie, Anthony exudes an air of confidence but also seems troubled. They soon embark on a relationship and Julie begins to understand the demons that drive Anthony. Beautifully capturing the era, Hogg’s film is more expansive than her previous work, yet retains the observational quality that makes her dramas so engrossing.
★★★★★ “The kind of film you don’t want to end.” - Philip Concannon, The Skinny
★★★★ “Honor Swinton Byrne is extraordinary in her first feature role.” - Terri White, Empire
