Oscar-Winner Adam Elliot’s “Memoir of a Snail” Opens Animest.19

The emotional and humorous story of a woman who refuses to be defeated by life’s adversities will open the 19th edition of the Animest International Animation Film Festival (October 4-13, Bucharest) with a national premiere screening. A drama told with humor and authenticity through the voice of Australian actress Sarah Snook, the animated Memoir of a Snail explores the complex defense and coping mechanisms people develop in the face of trauma, as well as the incredible inner resources they have available to to break free from situations in which they are corseted—by other people, by unforeseen circumstances, or perhaps even by mental illness—beyond their will. The animation, awarded with the Crystal for the best feature film at this year’s edition of the Annecy Festival, will be shown in Bucharest on October 4, from 19:00, at Sala Luceafărul (former Cinema PRO). Tickets have gone on sale and are available on the Eventbook platform.

Grace the Pudel is a solitary misfit, collects ornamental snails and has a boundless love of books. Her childhood was a merry-go-round full of unexpected meetings and breakups, deprivations and small joys, anxiety and escape in the imagination. Despite a series of hardships and unfortunate events, meeting the eccentric Pinky and the friendship that develops between them will bring hope and inspiration to Grace’s life. “Full of poetic ways in which he transforms into qualities and strengths the labels of ‘different’ or ‘strange’ imposed by a society that does not know how to accept the differences between people.“ (Variety), “An authentic portrait of the ‘renegade,’ constructed with undeniable creativity.” (The Hollywood Reporter) or “A story both funny and heartbreaking.“ (Screen Daily) are just some of the words critics are using to describe the latest production directed by Adam Elliot, winner of the 2004 Academy Award for his short film Harvie Krumpet.

“The protagonists of all my films are misfits, and the themes I choose explore the differences between people. I love to tell stories infused with humor and pathos, reflections on aspects of our everyday lives, capturing moments of happiness that illuminate the darkness that comes with life’s inherent challenges. For 30 years, my goal has been simple: to make my audience laugh… and cry,” said Adam Elliot, who will open the Animest Festival for the second time. His first feature film, Mary and Max, inspired by the director’s personal history, was screened for the first time in Romania at Animest in 2009, when it opened the fourth edition of the festival, remaining years later one of the most beloved animations of all editions.