Mary and Max

(Adam Elliot, Australia 2009, 92 min., 35mm, English and Yiddish w/English subtitles)

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Colette provide the voices for the title characters in the first feature film by Oscar-winning stop-motion animator Adam Elliot (Harvie Krumpet). Mary is a lonely young girl with neglectful parents, who starts an unusual pen-pal relationship with Max, a 44-year-old obese, high functioning autistic Manhattan-ite. The touching and funny story of their mutually supportive, yet oddball, friendship spans twenty years and two continents. Mary and Max was the opening night selection for that year’s Sundance Film Festival.