Memoir of a Snail

2024 Australian film
  • 10 June 2024 (2024-06-10) (Annecy)
Running time
94 minutesCountryAustraliaLanguageEnglish

Memoir of a Snail is a 2024 Australian adult animated drama film written and directed by Adam Elliot and featuring the voices of Sarah Snook, Jacki Weaver, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Dominique Pinon, Magda Szubanski and Eric Bana.[1][2][3]

Plot

Grace, a young girl in 1970s Australia, begins collecting snails after her mother's death. She and her twin brother Gilbert live with their father Percy, a former juggler who is now paraplegic with an alcohol use disorder. The siblings are close despite this adversity, and Gilbert defends Grace from schoolmates who tease her for her cleft lip.[4][5]

The twins are separated when their father dies in his sleep, sent to foster homes hundreds of miles away from each other. Grace moves in with a swinger couple, Ian and Narelle, in Canberra, while Gilbert is sent to a family of religious fundamentalists in Western Australia.[4][5]

Grace eventually befriends an elderly woman named Pinky, who is there for Grace as she grows up and begins to faces challenges as an adult, including a short-lived marriage to a microwave mechanic. When Pinky dies, Gracie brings her ashes to the vegetable garden and sets her jar of snails free.[5][6]

Cast

  • Sarah Snook as Grace Pudel and the Narrator[1]
  • Kodi Smit-McPhee as Gilbert Pudel[5]
  • Jacki Weaver as Pinky, a former table dancer who befriends Grace[6]
  • Dominique Pinon as Percy Pudel, the father of Grace and Gilbert[5]
  • Paul Capsis as Ian and Narelle, a swinger couple who cares for Grace after her father's death[5]
  • Eric Bana as a magistrate[5]
  • Tony Armstrong as a mechanic who Grace briefly marries[5]
  • Magda Szubanski
  • Nick Cave

Production

Memoir of a Snail was developed over an eight-year period.[6] Filming occurred in Melbourne in May 2023.[2][7] In February 2024, it was announced that Sarah Snook was cast as the lead.[1]

Release

Memoir of a Snail premiered on 10 June 2024 at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it won the Cristal Award for a Feature Film.[8][9][10]

Reception

Critical reception

Peter Debruge of Variety commended director Adam Elliot's dedication to a "dark and surprisingly moving brand of storytelling" and praised the film's voice cast and score.[6] In Deadline, Stephanie Bunbury noted repetitive elements of the plot and dialogue but argued that these flaws underscored the film's themes of human imperfection.[5]

Accolades

Award Ceremony date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Annecy International Animation Film Festival 15 June 2024 Cristal Award for a Feature Film Memoir of a Snail Won [10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Goodfellow, Melanie; Wiseman, Andreas (9 February 2024). "Sarah Snook To Lead Voice Cast In Stop-Motion Movie 'Memoir Of A Snail'; Anton & Charades Release New Image Ahead Of EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b Goodfellow, Melanie (4 May 2023). "Anton & Charades Partner On Adam Elliot's 'Memoir Of A Snail'; Unveil First Image & Int'l First Voice Cast Featuring Jacki Weaver, Kodi Smit-McPhee & Eric Bana – Cannes Market". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. ^ Frater, Patrick (16 May 2021). "Australia's 'Kid Snow,' 'Petrol' and 'Memoirs of a Snail' to Shoot After Receiving Funding". Variety. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Memoir of a Snail". Charades. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bunbury, Stephanie. "'Memoir Of A Snail' Review: Australian Claymation Master Adam Elliot Reflects On Love, Grief And Human Weakness – Annecy". Deadline. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Debruge, Peter. "'Memoir of a Snail' Review: Adam Elliot Spins a Series of Unfortunate Events Into a Stop-Motion Heart-Tugger". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  7. ^ "WORLD-CLASS CLAYMATION IN PRODUCTION IN MELBOURNE". VicScreen. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  8. ^ Roxborough, Scott (25 April 2024). "Michel Hazanavicius' Animated Holocaust Tale 'The Most Precious of Cargoes' to Open Annecy Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Feature Film in Competition – Official 3: Memoir of a Snail". Annecy Festival. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b Lang, Jamie. "'Memoir of a Snail,' 'Flow' Split Feature Honors at Annecy, 'Percebes' Wins Best Short". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2024.

External links

  • Memoir of a Snail at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata