A bittersweet memoir about a melancholic woman named Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails, romance novels, and guinea pigs. This visually stunning stop-motion film by Oscar winner Adam Elliot is both enchanting and delightful.
Genre: animation, drama
Language: English, subtitles: Dutch
Length: 95 mins.
“Childhood is like being drunk: everyone remembers what you did, except you. But I remember everything”. Memoir of a Snail follows Grace Pudel, an introverted woman from Canberra, who has retreated further and further into her shell since the death of her father and the separation from her twin brother, Gilbert. As the odd ones out, she forms an unusual friendship with Pinky, a woman in her eighties, her face etched with a lifetime of adventures. As Grace tells her own story to her favorite pet, a snail named Sylvia, a beautiful, tragicomic universe full of warmth, eccentric characters, melancholy and visual humor unfolds.
Memoir of a Snail is a film that moves, makes you laugh, and will undoubtedly capture your heart. Made with so much love and attention to detail, the film takes you to another world with a Tim Burton-esque vibe and an Aardman-like passion for stop motion animation. On top of that, it offers some philosophical reflections, and just so you know: snails never go back on their trails…
The film committee recommends this gem for its 100% stop motion animation; dark subject matter but wholesome.
Awards
This film won several prestigious awards, including the top prize at the prestigious Annecy International Animated Film Festival, and earned nominations for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
Reviews
“ There’s an ingenuousness and innocence to Memoir of a Snail that belies a strange intensity. It’s both charming and poignant.” The Guardian
“Mr. Elliot’s script is so rich and gently funny that he could easily have made an excellent live-action feature from it. As it is, though, the animation makes it even more lovable.” Wall Street Journal
“As hilarious as it is heart-wrenching – frequently within the same scene.” Screen Daily
Ticket information
This film will be shown at Filmhuis De Zwarte Doos.
- Tickets must be purchased online in advance and can be bought by clicking the black “Order” button on this page.
- Cash or card payments are not accepted at the ticket counter.
For more information about tickets, refund policies, and other details, click here.
Please be on time
The screening of the film begins promptly at 19:30 (with no pre-film advertisements), and the cinema hall will open at 19:10. We kindly request that you arrive at the ticket counter at least 10 minutes before the start of the film to ensure a smooth and timely experience for all.
The Studium Generale film program is created in collaboration with the Student Film Committee and Natlab.