Adam Elliot directs his second feature film, a tale of a lonely woman Grace Pudel recounting her life story to her pet snail. This animated film is a feat indeed. It is a fully handcrafted stop-motion film with every prop, set and character being a real, tangible object. A team of incredibly patient and talented artists created about 7000 objects to tell Grace’s story.
The film took 8 years in total to make.
There is zero CGI involved. That is impressive.
This is Elliot’s seventh ‘clayography’ film in his ‘Trilogy of Trilogies’ featuring three short-shorts (under ten mins), three long shorts (around twenty mins), and three features (over 90 mins). Memoir of a Snail is the second feature film after the beautiful Mary and Max (2009).
The story was inspired by Adam’s elderly mother who was a ‘semi’ hoarder and evolved into a film that asks questions of what drives the desire to collect or accumulate.
The cast is filled with Australian talent; Sarah Snook voicing Grace and Kodi Smit McPhee voicing Grace’s twin brother, Gilbert. Support comes from Jacki Weaver, Magda Szubanski, Dominique Pinon, Eric Bana, Tony Armstrong, Paul Capsis and the mighty Nick Cave lending their vocal talents to this bittersweet story.
The music is wonderful, composed by the extremely talented Uzbekistani and adopted Australian, Elena Kats-Chernin and performed by the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
There are some beautiful moments in the film, quiet, gentle and delicately handled.
Memoir of a Snail is a grown-up film that tells a tale of a life lived in a minor key that is moving, funny and melancholy.
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