One of the standout films at this year’s Sundance, Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir came away with the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. The buzz for it hasn’t really let up, either, with A24 picking up the rights just prior to its premiere. Much of the talk has centered around the performance of Honor Swinton Byrne, who has the unenviable task of living up to her famous mother, Tilda Swinton, and performing opposite her in the film. Although based on the reviews she held her own quite well, as did co-star Tom Burke.
Here’s the synopsis for what appears to be a deeply-moving portrait of her past as a young aspiring filmmaker finding love where it was least expected: “A shy but ambitious film student (Byrne) begins to find her voice as an artist while navigating a turbulent courtship with a charismatic but untrustworthy man (Burke). She defies her protective mother (Tilda Swinton) and concerned friends as she slips deeper and deeper into an intense, emotionally fraught relationship that comes dangerously close to destroying her dreams.”
The Souvenir opens on May 17th.
