When you watch SOUVENIR (2025), you know you are watching something incredible -- filmmaker Renée Marie Petropoulos brings the power of cinema to the topic of relationship abuse. And what I mean is that she uses the full force of the medium to craft a story of what it really looks like in the modern age.

It's like nothing I've ever seen before, and SXSW agrees -- it won the 2026 narrative shorts competition. The jury said, "Led by moving, raw performances, this film meets viewers in an intimate space. Layering the complexities of love, trust, and the vulnerability of being perceived, this short is a beautiful piece of storytelling that sheds light on the most intrinsic and intimidating aspects of relationships and girlhood.”

We talked before the festival, but it was obvious that the film is something special. And so is Renée.

In this episode, Renée and I talk about:

what about SXSW does she love as a festival;
how she got started in filmmaking;
the success of her thesis film, TANGLES AND KNOTS (2018), and the expectation of a Columbia MFA;
the Australian diaspora at festivals like SXSW and what it feels like when taking a film to an international festival;
the remarkable and unique story behind SOUVENIR (2026);
how she chose to portray abuse "through a realistic take on the cycle of abuse, through an accumulation of small, painful moments" and what does a poor portrayal of abuse look like?
her goals at SXSW for the film;
advice for filmmakers when delving into really personal topics;
how she put together such a tremendous cast and crew and advice for casting;
what describes an Australian filmmaker;
what's next for her.

Renée's Indie Film Highlights: Warwick Thornton; OF AN AGE (2022) dir. by Goran Stolevski

Memorable Quotes:

"SXSW has always had a tender spot in my heart."

"I'm definitely not making films with those festivals in mind."

"I really wanted to explore a young toxic relationship that I feel like we don't really see much of on screen."

"I'm hoping to people seeing this, if they connect to it in some way, if they've experienced this, like seeing it on screen, like it feels like a more of a validating experience."

Links:

Follow Renée On Instagram

Watch TANGLES AND KNOTS (2018)