Posted b Larry Gleeson
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2021) made its world premiere on September 3rd, 2021, at the 48th Telluride Film Festival, where coincidentally, I celebrated my birthday. After receiving a warm birthday hug from Production Assistant Becca Bassen, an artistically talented woman who had dressed on Halloween as Marcel the Shell, I engaged Marcel the Shell with Shoes On lead, director, writer/creator Jenny Slate in a polite and deeply poignant conversation on the Telluride Film Festival and her work on Marcel the Shell With Shoes On with long-time collaborator Dean Fleischer-Camp.
I’d waited patiently for news of a distribution deal these last few months. I visited the Hi-Pointe Theatre-backlot in St. Louis recently and shared a few of my favorite films from the Telluride Film Festival with the owner, Diana Grayson, and Marcel the Shell With Shoes On was in the conversation. However, no sign of Marcel getting into the theatre. I began to fear the worst…
So, with a big smile, I share that the New York-based A24, an independent entertainment company specializing in film and television production, as well as film distribution, has acquired the North American right to Fleischer-Camp and Slate’s, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2021) as recently reported by the trade publications, Variety, and Deadline.
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2021), based on two YouTube short-form films and two published tomes, is a feature-length mockumentary on the scruffy, one-inch mollusk. Utilizing the interview as the film’s premise, the audience is introduced to the life of Marcel the Shell. Leslie Stahl (herself) and Isabella Rossellini (voice of Connie) come on board for the feature adding depth and an unexpected vocal treat.
Sharp writing and a creative narrative, and spot-on stop-motion animation made Marcel the Shell With Shoes On an audience favorite at the 48th Telluride Film Festival. Told charmingly with humor and a deep sensibility of the importance of community, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is one of a kind! A “must-see” selection! Stay tuned….
Until next time, I’ll see you at the movies!
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.
Altitude chief Will Clarke said: “‘Moonlight’ is one of those life-affirming films that immerses you in its universal themes and kaleidoscopic view of life, but told with such emotional intimacy, delicacy and beauty that no one could fail to be moved in a way that is surprising and unforgettable. It is pure cinema and a milestone in independent film.”