Romance,Mystery,Drama
United Kingdom,United States of America
"The Souvenir" is a 2019 drama film directed by Joanna Hogg and stars Honor Swinton Byrne as Julie, a young film student living in London in the 1980s. Julie is shy and reserved, but ambitious to become a filmmaker. She meets Anthony (Tom Burke), an older man who shares her love of cinema and art. The two begin a relationship that quickly becomes intense and emotionally fraught.
Anthony is charismatic but also mysterious and untrustworthy. He has a drug addiction and frequently disappears for days at a time. Despite the warning signs, Julie becomes increasingly obsessed with him and makes some questionable decisions to support his lifestyle. However, their relationship takes a toll on her personal and professional life as she struggles to balance her own artistic ambitions with the demands of Anthony's addiction.
The film is partially autobiographical and draws from director Hogg's own experiences with a similar relationship. The Souvenir was critically acclaimed upon its release for its nuanced portrayal of a toxic relationship and its exploration of the sacrifices one must make to pursue their artistic dreams. It was followed by a sequel, The Souvenir Part II, which premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.
