The animated film Memoirs of a Snail, created by Australian director Adam Elliot, has achieved something very special in Mexico: it has become one of the most beloved and talked about films of the year. Its arrival in theaters was quite an event, and its success not only surprised Elliot himself, but also made it clear that Mexico is fertile ground for independent films and animated proposals with soul.
But what was it that made this film connect so deeply with Mexican audiences? Let’s find out.
An intimate story that feels relatable
The film follows Grace Pudel, an introspective girl coping with the loss of her father and the separation from her twin brother, Gilbert. Through her bond with Pinky, an older woman with a very particular outlook on life, Grace finds new ways of looking at the world. The film deals with intense emotions such as grief, sadness and the need to move forward, something that many viewers in Mexico felt as their own.
The director has said that his intention is to create characters that anyone can connect with, no matter where they come from. And he certainly achieved that goal. The story struck a chord with those who went to see it.
The unique charm of stop motion
One of the most striking elements was the technique used to animate the film: stop motion. This handcrafted style, which brings characters to life with patience and great detail, managed to stand out among the sea of more conventional digital animations. Adam Elliot has perfected this technique over the years, and here he uses it to build a symbolic, intimate and emotionally textured world.
The snail – the central metaphor of the story – represents someone who moves slowly, but without stopping. A message that resonated with many in these changing times.
An overwhelming response at the box office
Although it did not have a massive release, Memorias de un Caracol managed to gather more than 1.4 million spectators in Mexico, and generated revenues in excess of 87 million pesos. All this while competing with huge productions with advertising budgets in the millions of pesos.
This warm reception confirms something we already knew: Mexican audiences like films that dare to be different. Stories that feel authentic, even if they don’t follow the most commercial formulas, have a loyal audience here.
A thank you that went viral
Moved by the response, Adam Elliot shared several messages on his social networks thanking Mexico for the love. In one of them he celebrated that the country has been the most successful for the film so far: “Thank you Mexico for being our biggest and most successful country so far for Memoirs of a Snail. More than 1.3 million Mexicans have gone to see the film in almost 700 theaters.” This gesture further strengthened the bond between the director and Mexican audiences. He even gave away an exclusive behind-the-scenes feature for fans, which only added to the excitement among those who had already seen the film (and those who had not yet).
Mexico: home of independent animated cinema
This success is not an isolated case. Other animated films with different artistic approaches and narratives, such as Flow or Robot Dreams, have also found their largest audiences in Mexico. This speaks of a country that values well-told stories, even if they do not come with big campaigns or well-known names.
Here there is a film culture that is curious, open and willing to explore different proposals. And that is something that the film world is noticing more and more.
A closing that leaves its mark
Memorias de un Caracol was not only a box-office success but, above all, a shared emotional experience. Its combination of tenderness, artisanal technique and universal themes made viewers in Mexico embrace it as their own. And in the process, it also reaffirmed that cinema can be a bridge between cultures, emotions and ways of looking at life.
In a world where everything seems to be moving too fast, this story – like its protagonist – reminds us that moving at our own pace is also a way to resist and transform.
