Pulpmovies Reviews

Here’s an interesting idea – an art film that takes a long and hard look at the art world, and doesn’t really like what it finds.

Souvenir centres around an art gallery owned by Ivy (Rita Obermeyer) whose recently deceased father has left her a collection of African funerary posts. These posts are worth a fortune, but they are also a reminder of a hidden past that Ivy is unable to leave behind. While Ivy would like nothing more than to bury her past, the discovery of these posts – and their value – encourages the greed of those around her. So while everyone starts chasing the money, Ivy’s life slowly begins to unravel.

This is a film in which the atmosphere surrounding the events portrayed is as important – if not more so – than the events themselves. It it has to be said that director, Natasa Prosenc does do an excellent job of conveying the mood of the film.

This approach, however, does mean that the film gets off to a relatively slow start. But, as the story builds, it becomes both increasingly powerful, and increasingly engaging. This is down not only to the writing, in which the characters’ personalities, their relationships and their jealousies are allowed to emerge in a very natural fashion, but also the acting.

All of the cast put in very strong performances here and really bring their characters to life. But special mention has to go to Joel Bryant who, as the manipulative Balthazar really does dominate his scenes and drag things along marvellously.

Although there are plenty of art-house touches in here, as well as a couple of surreal nods, the visual stylings do not detract from the essentially human nature of the film. Indeed, the visual style does much to accentuate the fact that Souvenir is ultimately a film about people, the relationships between them, the effect that keeping secrets has on these and the importance of laying old ghosts to rest.

It’s a well written, beautifully shot and excellently acted film and one that is well worth seeing.

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