The Souvenir (2019)

Julie is a young film student living in London. Coming from a privileged background herself, she wants to make a film about a young boy and his mother in a much poorer part of town. Between scriptwriting and filming, Julie arranges a party at the film school where she meets a mysterious man named Anthony. A few days later, Anthony invites Julie out on a date, where he asks to stay with her for a few days. This is how Julie's first serious love affair begins. Surrendering completely to the relationship and to Anthony's needs, she starts neglecting her studies and borrows large amounts of money from her parents.

The Souvenir Part II (2021)

The film deals with Julie's personal struggles to overcome the destructiveness of her past and to realize her first film inspired by her dramatic relationship with Anthony. Her project is systematically discredited by teachers and supervisors, who encourage her to drop the idea. Hogg's convincing sequel examines the boundary between art and memory, and emphasizes what is not seen: dialogues that take place outside the picture frame, empty spaces, long silences. The film demonstrates in an original and masterful way how the creative process can transform painful memories into captivating storytelling.

Joanna Hoggs (b. 1960) is a British filmmaker and screenwriter known for the critically acclaimed films Unrelated (2007), Archipelago (2010) and Exhibition (2013).