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's next for her.
• 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)

PHENOMENA (2026) is a type of film that I've never seen before -- an exploration of nature through a visual medium. It's not surprising that it, too, comes from a filmmaker of a type I've never talked with-- an Australian who started doing art exhibitions and immersive experience shows before his debut feature.

So it's not surprising it's getting the rave reviews it's getting from places like Variety, and it is a testament to the vision that Josef brings to filmmaking. So get in early on this film and this filmmaker -- the sky is the limit for the Aussie, and who knows, it might be a part of nature he explores in his next project.

In this episode, Josef and I discuss:

• the wildly complimentary Variety review, describing the film as "an iridescent ode to ordinary wonders";
• how he got started in filmmaking and how artist exhibitions transferred to filmmaking;
• how much his feature debut needs to be seen in a theater and the future of immersive exhibitions;
• what he wants people to feel watching PHENOMENA;
• why he worked with Sandbox Films and some of the logistical challenges inherent to making this film;
• his feelings narrating his film and a hilarious story about being on camera for a childrens' show;
• being an Australian filmmaker and his feelings on the level of travel necessarily associated with international festivals;
• where you can see his latest film, whether we'll get a narrative work, and what's next for him.

Josef's Indie Film Highlight: SLACKER (1990) dir. by Richard Linklater

Memorable Quotes:

"I pointed the camera at the sound waves and recorded it for the first time, and that really was like the seed for the feature film was that moment right there."

"Image quality for me is everything. And when I put those goggles on, I'm never blown away."

"I hope I was careful enough to allow room for the audience to find their own meaning and to have their own experience."

"it's been about 10 years since those, that first short film, so that was in 2016. Yeah...I did other things in between, obviously. I've got a life to live and bills to pay."

"I think it's super exciting to be asked overseas to go and take part in the broader community and to share the film with the larger audiences and take things international."

"I think it's super exciting to be asked overseas to go and. Take part in the broader community and to share the film with the larger audiences and take things international."

Links:

Follow Josef On Instagram

Josef's Website

During this episode, you'll hear a part that's normally edited out -- a phone ringing. But given that's one of my guests' school calling, I decided to leave it in. Because that's the life of a parent, right? It doesn't stop for a podcast recording, a film premiere, whatever you have going on in life.

And the point of this episode, with Cinecamp founders Jessica Kivnik and Alexa Coblentz, is that's okay. We'll make it work. I love the way they put this description, so I'll use it here -- Cinecamp is a pop-up daycare center during the Los Angeles Festival of Movies April 10-12th. They have an open house on the 10th that I hope you'll check out.

And if you don't have kids, I hope you stick around for this conversation as well. This isn't about excluding anyone; just the opposite. Cinecamp is about everyone feeling a part of the story.

In this episode, we talk about:

• why Cinecamp matters in the film sector, even if you don't have kids, and how Jessica and Alexa got started;
• the genesis of Cinecamp and how it got started;
• why 4m to 12 years old? why start at the Los Angeles Festival of Movies? the smart decisions that went into Cinecamp's first film festival;
• why starting at film festivals and "being at that hub" is so important;
• whether the rise of female filmmakers has led to programs like Cinecamp;
• what's next for the program?

Alexa's Indie Film Highlight: HARVEST (2024) dir. by Athina Rachel Tsangari

Memorable Quotes:

"I have just always been interested in the way that humans relate to each other, through these kinds of stories or so many possibilities."

"Inclusion matters. Equity matters. Choosing to be a parent in this world is political."

On starting Cinecamp: "The more we would talk about it, [we saw] how much possibility there was there. As collaborators and like partners in it, we were waiting for a chance to do that again, but also because we both really need this. So it spoke to us really personally."

"We are not just providing accessible low cost care. We're providing excellent care at a low rate."

"There's a lot of conversations in the parenting circle about how being a modern mom is like a full-time job."

"Everybody that's interacting with the kids is gonna be vetted and background checked and safe."

"Across the board, women have lost ground in the past year in terms of equity."

"It's basically building like a pop-up daycare center for children of all different ages."

Links:

Cinecamp's Website

Follow Cinecamp On Instagram