“With its roots in the first decade of film history, stop-motion animation thrives today in the work of A-list directors like Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, Guillermo del Toro, Nick Park, Jordan Peele, and Henry Selick, and at brand-name studios such as Laika and Aardman. Australian filmmaker Adam Elliot, who proved his mastery of the medium with the Academy Award–winning short Harvie Krumpet (2003) and his first feature, Mary and Max (2009), returns with a bittersweet comedy about loss, loneliness, and family. Struggling with forced separation from her twin brother, melancholy, introverted snail-hoarder Grace Pudel (Sarah Snook) survives a series of threats to her well-being, fortified by the irreverent life-lessons of her indomitable elderly friend Pinky (voiced by veteran Aussie star Jacki Weaver). In a form Elliot calls “clayography,” he deals here with themes of religious fundamentalism, homophobia, abusive romance, and death that resonate with personal experience. Memoir of a Snail’s noir-ish, earthy color palette, asymmetrical production design, chunky characters, and avoidance of digital polish and effects are evidence of Elliot’s commitment to a handmade aesthetic that feels like genuine folk art.” -MoMa, The Contenders
A 2025 Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature.
