Adam Eliot's two-film joint screening opens warmly in 18 cities and the healing moment

The animated films "Mary and Max" and "Memoirs of the Snail" held the "Adult Fairy Tales, High Score Healing" double-film screening event on September 6. This was also the first time in China that a double-film screening venue was held for the same director. Adam Eliot, winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the only director in the world who has twice won the "Anxi Crystal Award", the highest award in the animation industry, used video link to 18 cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Xiamen. There were 29 games in total, with more than 2000 live audiences, who talked in depth about the original intention of creating and the behind-the-scenes story of the film.

From the shackles of pen pals spanning 20 years to the broken growth of breaking free from shackles, the two "adult fairy tales" with the same style use delicate craftsmanship and sincere emotional expression to weave a journey of light and shadow for the audience that cures the soul. It is reported that the two films are both selected for the "Love of Light and Shadow Project" launched by Haiying Films. The film "Mary and Max" and the film "Memoirs of the Snail" are both being screened nationwide.

Full of ingenuity! The cost is tens of thousands of yuan. The director reveals his original intention of creation

The movie "Memoirs of the Snail" not only scored a high score of 8.4 in Douban, but also won more than 70 film awards and nominations around the world, including the 46th World Animation Award for Best Animated Feature at Anxi Animation Festival in 2024 and the 97th Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2025. On the day of the event, director Adam Eliot appeared on the scene holding Grace's clay figure and the Oscar trophy in "Memoirs of the Snail", instantly bringing closer the sense of intimacy with the audience.

When asked by the host about the creative investment that "a single clay doll costs as much as US$10,000", the director admitted that the film took eight years to build and adhered to pure craftsmanship in production. There were more than 200 scenes and more than 100 clay dolls were all made by hand and no CGI, computer-generated or AI technology was used throughout the process. In order to achieve the ultimate fine effect, the film is equipped with a large production team. The production of just a complex clay doll takes several weeks, and every detail is repeatedly polished, so that the production cost of a single clay doll reaches It cost about 10,000 US dollars.

Talking about the creative mentality of the two works, the director said that "what changes is the story, and what remains unchanged is sincerity." Whether it is the soul resonance across regions in "Mary and Max" or Grace's growth and transformation in "Snail Memoirs", the director always wants to convey the stories of ordinary people. Those struggles, warmth and persistence can best touch people's hearts across culture and time.

Go in both directions! Multi-city audiences warmly confess transnational constraints and shine into reality

At the dual-film screening scene, both senior fans and first-time viewers were deeply touched by the emotions in the film. There was also a magical moment of "the film shines into reality"-the emotions on the screen continued into reality.

Cici, a viewer from Shenzhen,"appeared" with the director with a long letter recording her seven years of experience in movie-watching. She was deeply moved when she first watched "Mary and Max" in 2017. In 2023, she conveyed this emotion to the director through Ins private letter. In 2024, when she asked whether "Memoirs of the Snail" could be released in China, she received a negative answer. Now she has seen two films in the cinema one after another, and her miraculous dream has come true, achieving a happy ending in the film. A realistic echo, It's touching.

Another audience said that this was the first time they had seen a description of Asperger's syndrome on the big screen. The film's depiction of the patient's loneliness, confusion and panic attacks was particularly true and made people feel empathy. She also mentioned that she has a friend who suffers from Asperger's syndrome who has always regarded "Mary and Max" as a "life movie" for many years and has constantly recommended it. She is very grateful to the director for making this group more popular. People see and understand.

The reputation is booming! The audience shouted that it was not enough clay warmth to heal the adult world

Audiences who have seen the double films have also given favorable comments on the Internet. Many viewers believe that the movie "Memoirs of the Snail" is a new work 15 years later than the movie "Mary and Marx". Both works are wrapped in cheerful melodies. The core of sadness, but each has its own focus: the former tells the story of cross-ocean friendship thousands of miles away, which is warm and moving; The latter focuses on the colder reality, using "imperfect" characters such as Grace and Gilbert as an incision. They either have physical disabilities or are deeply traumatized, and also face life difficulties such as separation and control. However, the film always conveys the power of "accepting oneself and moving forward bravely", just like Grace burns the snail shell that symbolizes the shackles and Gilbert breaks free from the dilemma, guiding the audience to see hope in bitterness.

In addition, some viewers believe that the movie "Memoirs of the Snail" outlines the journey of spiritual redemption of the lonely person with a warm background. The three-dimensional and distinctive characters seem to carry the shadows of the people around them, whether it is the mother who has little drama or the Pingqi grandma who accompanies Grace, it makes people can't help but savor it. This work not only injects healing power into adults and relieves fatigue in life, but also allows the audience to truly feel the unique texture of handmade clay and the emotional resonance that reaches the hearts of the people in the theater. It is undoubtedly the most worthy masterpiece of entering the theater this year.

The film "Memoirs of the Snail" was imported by China Film Group Corporation, distributed by China Film Industry Group Corporation, translated by China Film Industry Group Corporation, and assisted by Haiying Films, and is currently being screened nationwide!
The high-scoring animated films "Memoirs of the Snail" and "Mary and Max" are both from the "Love Light and Shadow Project" launched by Haiying Films. The two films landed on the China screen in a joint presentation and innovative screening manner, paying tribute to Adam Eliot, a master of stop-motion animation and a master of handmade animation. This will become the first milestone in the history of the China film market to pay tribute to a single director in a double film combination. "Love Light and Shadow Project" is a high-quality film distribution and fan service brand launched by Haiying Films. It focuses on global artistic masterpieces and representative works of directors, and takes "strict selection of best films + innovative screening + serving fans" as its core strategy to create a more emotionally connected movie-watching ecosystem. The project includes three core sections: first, film curation, which systematically arranges screenings around the director's theme, style theme, etc.; second, fan services, which provide fans with screening priority, director connection, creator meetings, limited peripherals, etc. Exclusive benefits; third, the theater linkage mechanism, which joins hands with high-quality theaters to create screening windows to achieve accurate docking of works and audiences. The "Love Light and Shadow Project" aims to connect everyone who loves movies in a way that combines artistic value and humanistic temperature, and build a high-quality film ecosystem for fans that integrates artistic value and social care. It aims to create the most influential fan service brand in China.