Adam Elliot’s latest animated film, “Memoirs of a Snail,” hits theaters on January 15. A work that addresses many subjects with depth and humanity.
Adam Eliott is one of the stars of independent animation. The 53-year-old Australian director is making his second feature film, “Mémoires d’un Escargot”. A film full of morals.
Winner of the feature film crystal at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, “Mémoires d’un Escargot” is particularly anticipated in the world of animation. He should not disappoint the public. In a feature film based around the character of Grace Pudel, Adam Elliot displays his qualities as a narrator in a complex tragedy.
Around often dark themes, such as the loss of a loved one, old age, loneliness or even moral (and academic) harassment, the writer and director lets his brilliant pen speak. There are many sequences where the Australian will leave you wondering with his brilliant turns of phrase and his profound dialogues.
“Life must be understood looking backward, but must be lived looking forward,” Søren Kierkegaard
But the genius of the native of Berwick (a town near Melbourne) lies in his ability to convert so many obscure subjects into a message that is both powerful and luminous. A film which, in addition to resonating for a long time in the minds of those who watch it, will open them to certain little-known themes.
Poignant and inspiring
One of the subjects on which the creator has spoken is the complex relationship between the twins. Through its main character, young Grace, who has a twin brother, Gilbert, it exposes the vulnerability from which they suffer. He explains, in an interview given to CNEWS: “I spoke to many twins who saw their brother or sister leave them and who explained to me that they had to relearn how to live alone. It’s like losing an organ, I think I say that in the film. It’s distressing. In my family we had twins and in the 1980s one of them died. They were so close that a week later, the other also died. “It’s an example of twins who never had a private life, no marriage, no partner, they just lived together.”
If the themes addressed by the film can be obscure, they are brilliantly treated thanks to a coherent image. Initially, Adam Elliot even wanted the film to be in black and white. He looks back on the process of creating the film, which saw him change his approach: “I wanted it to be completely in black and white. But one of the investors said “never!” Oddly, the French agency that invested was very happy to produce it in black and white. But in Australia, they refused. I thought it was possible to do very exciting projects like that, I’m thinking of “The Artist” or “Schindler’s List”, even animated films have been, Tim Burton did “Frankenweenie” For example. There’s nothing wrong with black and white! So I suggested brown. It’s a fairly warm brown, there’s red, yellow, gray. I chose it because in Australia, brown was a very popular color in the 1970s: people painted their houses that color, used it for their floors, etc. I used the opportunity to use color as a real tool: the palette corresponded to the state of mind of the characters. When Grace (main character) is in Canberra, it’s a brown almost beige, quite sad because it’s a boring time in her life. On the contrary, in Melbourne, it is darker, warmer, there is black. In Perth, it’s yet another shade.”
Journey to the heart of a unique country
In addition to the three cities mentioned by the director and which enjoy three different tones in the feature film, the whole of Australia is in the spotlight throughout the 93 minutes. Grace travels through this unique territory, where we discover exotic symbols: animals, culture, food, architecture and even linguistic expressions. A true “Aussie” ode. The only other country mentioned in the project is France, whose culture can also be appreciated thanks to Grace’s father, who loved listening to the song “Alouette, Gentille Alouette”. It is also this which concludes the film and presents the credits.
Unable to rely on the acting of the characters, this animated film relies on the soundtrack to reinforce its emotional weight. A completely winning bet for Adam Elliot, who did not seek support from just anyone: “Elena Kats-Chernin is a very recognized composer. We talked together about the soundtrack, which had to be a main strength of the film. It was his idea that there be a choir dedicated to the recording, with an organ, violins, every possible instrument in fact. In the most intense moments of the work, Elena Kats-Chernin perfectly succeeds in maximizing the power of Adam Elliot’s masterful writing and will not fail to reinforce the audience’s reactions.
“Memories of a Snail” brings together Australian stars
The other feat that Adam Elliot has is that of exceptional dubbing. Once again, the director relies on what is best in Australia with Sarah Snook in the lead role (Grace) and that of the narrator. The vocal performance of the Australian actress is to be commended. The one who notably played in the series “Succession” or in the film “Prédestination” (2014) had already collaborated with Adam Elliot in . The French voice, for its part, is provided by Dominique Pinon, who notably participated in “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain” (2001) and “Un Long Dimanche de Fiancailles” (2004).
While animation fans may criticize Adam Elliot’s style, in volume, for its lack of detail and its simplistic nature, they will find refuge in the quality of the narration of the Australian artist’s story. The story-telling is perfectly mastered, leading to an apotheotic ending, where many details take on their full meaning and illuminate a story that at first appears devoid of hope. If Adam Elliot does not hide his ambition to provoke many emotions in his viewers, his bet is won hands down.
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