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Filming is underway in Western Australia for End Game, a three-part ABC documentary series hosted by Tony Armstrong that examines racism in sport. The series, produced by Smashing Films, Barking Mad Productions, and Bacon Factory Films, will also film in Melbourne, Sydney, London, Manchester, Liverpool, and various locations across the US. Here’s the Lowdown: End […]

End Game: Tony Armstrong Tackles Racism in Sport in New ABC Australia Docuseries...

In a category that is often filled with animated films geared toward children and families, “Memoir of a Snail” and its themes of depression and conversion therapy immediately stand out in this year’s Best Animated Feature category. But this isn’t the first time that director Adam Elliot has found himself at the Academy Awards, with his short “Harvie Krumpet” winning 21 years ago.

Elliot notes how the success of “Harvie Krumpet” helped get “Mary & Max” off the ground, which released to critical acclaim after its 2009 Sundance premiere. On the campaign trail for “Memoir of a Snail,” Elliot finds himself back in the artistic hub of Los Angeles after 15 years, meeting agents and representatives from major studios like Netflix and Sony. “They’re all very lovely and nice but they all want me to direct one of their films,” he explains. “So far, it’s always been something for...

Australia’s podcasting stars turned out in force at the Sofitel Sydney, Darling Harbour last night for the 2024 Australian Podcast Awards, powered by iHeart. This year’s awards honoured the industry’s most captivating voices across 31 categories, underscoring the rapid growth and influence of podcasting nationwide.

Taking top honours, Ladies, We Need to Talk—hosted by Yumi Stynes—won Podcast of the Year and also Sex and Relationships for its frank, funny, and fearless dive into taboo topics. Similarly, The Pool Room with T ony Armstrong took home Best Entertainment and Best Sport, applauded for its heart and humour in exploring untold tales of winners, losers, and the weird stories in between.

Recognised for championing diverse perspectives, First Things First, hosted by Brooke Blurton and Matty Mills, was awarded Podcast Champion for its influential focus on Indigenous and Lgbtqia+ topics. Meanwhile, award-winning journalist Marc Fennell was honoured in multiple categories,...

Memoir of a Snail is the latest project from writer-director Adam Elliot, who has made his name on tragicomedies like his new animated feature. Memoir of a Snail joins his ranks of stunning stop-motion animated movies that include Mary and Max and Harvie Krumpet, both of which share the melancholy and cautious optimism of Memoir of a Snail. Though there are bright spots throughout the film's 94-minute runtime, Memoir of a Snail pulls no punches and isn't afraid to make you cry. However, a few tears never hurt anyone, and there are hidden opportunities for joy.

Memoir of a Snail (2024)

Director Adam ElliotRelease Date October 25, 2024Writers Adam ElliotCast Craig Ross, Bernie Clifford, Luke Elliot, Jub Clerc, Selena Brennan, Davey Thompson, Charlotte Belsey, Mason Litsos, Tony Armstrong, Paul Capsis, Eric Bana, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Magda Szubanski, Dominique Pinon, Sarah Snook, Nick Cave, Jacki WeaverRating RRuntime 94 MinutesGenres Drama, AnimationCharacter(s) Owen Appleby, Bill Clarke,...

There is a light at the end of writer-director Adam Elliot’s claymation tunnel, though it’s a cold and artificial respite from its lifelong suffering. Though Elliot’s sadsack bookworms persist through their hardships, Memoir Of A Snail piles on the pain. By the time its Series Of Unfortunate Events finally relents,...

That Memoir of a Snail is a catalog of bleakly unfortunate events shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who’ve seen Adam Elliot’s previous feature, Mary and Max, and his Oscar-winning short Harvie Krumpet before it. This stop-motion animated film—part seven of a “trilogy of trilogies”—opens with Grace Pudel witnessing the last gasp of an elderly pal, Pinky (Jacki Weaver). As she goes to scatter Pinky’s ashes in the garden, Grace narrates her life in a shy whisper to a pet snail, sparing no tragic detail.

Grace’s mother died in childbirth, and her alcoholic father was left paralyzed from a traffic accident. She loves her twin brother, Gilbert, a budding pyromaniac who defends her from school bullies, but even this relationship doesn’t last, as they’re separated and shipped off to foster homes at separate ends of Australia once their father passes.

The final episode of “Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things” airs on ABC Australia on Tuesday, 18 June. In this episode Tony Armstrong concludes his exploration of Australia’s history and culture through seemingly ordinary objects. Tony begins by examining a couple of silk sashes, which hold special significance for Pageant royalty. These sashes transport them back to […]

Tony Armstrong’s Extra-Ordinary Things Series Final...

The brand new series Monday’s Experts premieres on ABC Australia on Monday, June 17, at 9:35 pm. Hosted by Tony Armstrong and Catherine Murphy, this sports entertainment show promises an engaging and humorous take on the week’s biggest sports stories and off-field moments. In the debut episode Armstrong and Murphy are joined by a panel […]

Monday’s Experts Series Premiere...

As a small child, motherless Grace started keeping snails in a jar, writing names on their shells and watching their life cycle — mate, breed, die — with loving fascination. “They were my friends,” she muses in voiceover in Memoir of a Snail, which this week had its premiere at the Annecy International Animation Festival. “I knew they’d never leave me, hurt me — or die.” Moments before, we saw Gracie’s huge ovoid eyes, spill over with tears as the aged Pinkie, her only human companion, breathed her final death rattle. “I’m so alone,” says Grace, not for the first time. “Goddamn life! Such a stupid, stupid puzzle!”

Pathos laid on with a shovel, you may be thinking — but you would be wrong. Following 2009’s Mary and Max, Memoir of a Snail is only the second Claymation feature from Australia’s Adam Elliot, who won an Oscar for his short...

When you’re looking for more than defiant princesses, Minions, and martial arts-wielding animals, indie animation is where you can experience something outside the box. Fortunately, Madman and IFC Films are here to present the Memoir of a Snail teaser trailer, which previews a wonderfully strange-looking animated feature from Academy Award-winning director Adam Elliot.

In the Memoir of a Snail teaser trailer, Grace Pudle is separated from her twin brother Gilbert following their parents’ deaths. Unfortunately for Grace, things don’t get much better after that, and the only one who will listen to her tragic tale is a garden snail named Sylvia.

Here’s the official synopsis for Memoir of a Snail:

“Grace Pudel is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her twin brother Gilbert, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst.

“Memoir of a Snail,” directed by locally-born, Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot, has been set as the opening title of the Melbourne International Film Festival.

The festival runs Aug. 8-25 and is expected to comprise more than 250 titles. An early sneak peek, revealed Thursday, confirmed a high quality international and local selection.

These include Cannes Critics’ Week award winner “Blue Sun Palace”; double Sundance-winning semi biographical directorial debut “Didi,” by Sean Wang; Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man,” which earned Sebastian Stan the acting prize in Berlin; Australian-produced Imax presentation “Fungi: Web of Life”; Rooney Mara-starring “La Cocina”; Frederick Wiseman’s restaurant documentary “Menus Plaisirs – Les Troisgros”; Berlin prize-winner “My Favourite Cake”; Steve McQueen’s “Occupied City”; and Jodi Wille’s “Welcome Space Brothers.”

The lineup also includes “We Were Dangerous,” a feminist and comic directorial debut from Maori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, that is executive produced by Taika Waititi.

Above: Victoria Devine and Glen James

The highest honour of the night, Podcast of The Year, has been awarded to the powerful True Crime podcast The Lawyer, the Sniper & the Nsw Police. A popular podcast, which shares powerful testimonies from two survivors of the Nsw Police workforce, also nabbed the top spot for the Best Interview Podcast.

Selected by the Australian Podcast Awards, Podcast Champion was awarded to APA multi year award winners Laura Byrne and Brittany Hockley’s Life Uncut. Listeners’ Choice went to mum and daughter duo Kat and Latisha Clark’s Basically Besties.

The ever-growing popularity of business, finance and ‘money saving’ audio shows saw multi-nominated ‘She's On The Money’ take the coveted top spot of the Business podcasts. A consistently popular category of True Crime podcasts saw Inside The Tribe take home the win, whilst Sex & Relationships podcast The Hook Up beat out popular listens ‘It...