(Tilda Swinton, Tom Burke, Honor Swinton Burke, Joanna Hogg, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER

The press conference for Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir, a wonderfully nostalgic look at the life of Julie (Honor Swinton Burke), a young female film student in early 80s England, was quite revealing. It seems that Hogg and Tilda Swinton have been friends since childhood, so they were very excited to work with one another on this semi-autobiographical look at Hogg's life as a young film student herself.

(Joanna Hogg, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

She even said that they attempted to visit her actual apartment from the early 80s, but the new owners wouldn't allow it, so they did their best to recreate her flat from her memory. Tom Burke plays Julie's very complicated and eccentric, not so trustworthy, suitor and, to be honest, I'm very much jealous of some of his character's clothing. Tilda Swinton, almost unrecognizable at first glance, portrays Julie's mother in the film and, per usual, doesn't let audiences down. 

(Tilda Swinton, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

Swinton reveals that when she and Hogg were discussing which non-actress they could cast in the role they finally thought about approaching her own daughter, Honor Swinton Byrne, for the role of Julie. Good thing they did because Swinton Byrne really holds the film and the audience in the palm of her hands. 

(Honor Swinton Byrne, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

Swinton Byrne reveals that although she really enjoyed the experience on the film and is signed on for the second in the film series, she does plan to attend university to study neurosciene.  

(Honor Swinton Byrne and Joanna Hogg, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)

Joanna Hogg's film feels very personal, even more so than her previous films. After attending the press conference one can understand why exactly that is. Hogg has been an important part of Honor Swinton Byrne's life while growing up, so perhaps this real-life intimacy translates so well because of this close personal relationship between the Swinton Byrne family and Hogg. I mentioned to Swinton after the conference that I was at the screening of Derek Jarman's The Garden the other night, and she apologized for not being there and wanted to make sure that someone sent her regards.