Melbourne International Film Festival to kick off with Adam Elliot's 'Memoir of a Snail'

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is set to open with the premiere of Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot's latest film, Memoir of a Snail. The festival, running from August 8 to August 25, will feature over 250 titles, showcasing a diverse selection of international and local films.

Memoir of a Snail, crafted by a team of Melburnians, is a handmade stop-motion film voiced by local talents including Sarah Snook, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Magda Szubanski, and Eric Bana. Elliot, who won an Oscar in 2004 for Harvie Krumpet, shared his excitement, emphasizing the film's deep connection to Melbourne.

The festival's lineup, revealed on June 6, includes notable films such as Cannes Critics' Week award winner Blue Sun Palace, Sean Wang's Sundance-winning directorial debut Didi, and Aaron Schimberg's A Different Man, which earned Sebastian Stan an acting prize in Berlin. Other highlights include the Australian-produced IMAX presentation Fungi: Web of Life, Rooney Mara-starring La Cocina, and Frederick Wiseman's documentary *Menus Plaisirs - Les Troisgros.

Berlin prize-winner My Favourite Cake, Steve McQueen's Occupied City, and Jodi Wille's Welcome Space Brothers also add to the impressive roster. We Were Warriors, a feminist and comic directorial debut from Maori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu and executive produced by Taika Waititi, is set to make waves.

With a mix of high-profile premieres and groundbreaking independent films, MIFF 2024 promises a rich cinematic experience for all attendees.