Following on from his Academy Award-winning short film Harvie Krumpet and debut feature Mary and Max, Melburnian claymation filmmaker Adam Elliot’s latest slice of dark, trenchant whimsy is headed our way.
When is Memoir of a Snail being released in Australia?
Memoir of a Snail crawls into Australian cinemas on October 17, 2024.
What is Memoir of a Snail about?
Set in 1970s Australia, Memoir of a Snail is a big ol’ sprawling bildungsroman (file that one away for your next Scrabble tournament, folks) that follows young Grace Pudel from childhood to adulthood as she loses first her mother; then her alcoholic, depressed, paraplegic former juggler father (that’s…a lot) and is separated from her twin brother when they’re sent to different foster homes on opposite sides of the country. Her to a pair of swingers, him to a religious fundie couple.
Holy hell, that sounds depressing! But anyone familiar the Elliot’s work knows it’s imbued with a deep and moving sense of humanity and a dark, wry sense of humour, which no doubt leavens what sounds on paper like a cartoon version of Precious.
Also, she collects snails. That’s where the title comes in.
The cast of Memoir of a Snail
Succession‘s Sarah Snook is Grace, with Charlotte Belsey as the younger Grace; former Nightcrawler Kodi Smit-McPhee is Gilbert Pudel, her twin brother, with Mason Litsos as the younger version; Dominique Pinon is (oh, hey, it’s Dominque Pinion of Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children! Love that guy!) Percy Pudel, their father; Paul Capsis as Ian and Narelle, the aforementioned swinger couple; Jacki Weaver, the cool auntie of Australian cinema, is Pinky, a former table dancer and Grace’s elderly mentor/BFF; Eric “Poida” Bana is a magistrate; and Magda Szubanski, Tony Armstrong, and Nick Cave are also in the mix.
Memoir of a Snail trailer
Why we’re excited about Memoir of a Snail
Are you kidding? This looks fantastic, idiosyncratic, funny, heartfelt—all that good stuff. And it’s nice to be reminded that Australia has form outside of relentlessly depressing crime dramas.
