Memoir of a Snail
Opening Dates
- 10 June 2024 – World premiere at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, France
- August 8 2024 – The Australian premiere of Memoir of a Snail was at the 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)
- 17 October 2024 – The film was then released in Australian cinemas
My review of Memoir of a Snail
Deep in the throes of Melbourne’s “world’s longest lockdown” in 2020 and 2021, I found myself one day watching Mary and Max, an animated film by Adam Elliot. It felt almost serendipitous— not only was the film set in the very same Melbourne suburb where I was living, but it was also where Adam Elliot grew up.
I instantly connected with the story, seeing parts of myself in young Mary, the main character, and felt a deep affinity for the film.
So, when I heard about Memoir of a Snail, I knew immediately that I’d love it, just as I had Mary and Max and Harvie Krumpet before it.
“Memoir of a Snail” tells the achingly beautiful, poignant story of Grace Pudel, a young lady whose life takes a series tragic turns, leading her into a world of isolation and hoarding.
Grace’s life begins under difficult circumstances: her mother dies during childbirth, and she is born with a cleft palate, making her the target of relentless bullying at school.
Grace grows up with a single father who had once lead an exciting life as a stop-motion animator in Paris but is now a widowed, unemployed, paraplegic alcoholic confined to a wheelchair, raising two young children. The three Pudel family members face numerous challenges. Despite these hardships, Grace cherishes her family and holds fond memories of her childhood.
Following a series of traumatic events, Grace becomes separated from her family. She retreats from society, amassing a huge collection of both real and ornamental snails as she becomes more and more reclusive. The snail serves as a powerful metaphor for those who – burdened by introversion, depression, or anxiety – retreat into their own shells.
Grace’s deepening depression is intensified by her prolonged separation from her twin brother, Gilbert, which begins in childhood and continues into her thirties. The emotional distance between them is compounded by the physical distance, as they now live thousands of kilometres apart.
However, Grace‘s life takes a hopeful turn one day when she meets Pinky, an eccentric, elderly, single woman with Alzheimer’s. The unlikely pair form a deep bond, becoming each other’s closest companions. Together, they navigate their peculiar existence, providing support and comfort to one another.
The film masterfully introduces us to a cast of eccentric characters and explores an array of unconventional themes, including swingers’ key parties, nudist colonies, religious cults, and various adult hobbies and fetishes. These elements, while often unsettling, also evoke curiosity, empathy and a deeper understanding of lives vastly different from our own.
Having loved Adam Elliot‘s previous films, I can confidently say that “Memoir of a Snail” is his best film yet. It’s a deeply moving experience that evokes a wide range of emotions, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a film that challenges you and resonates on a profound level.
10/10.
