About

This screening will be introduced by Victoria Wareham, Australian Cinémathèque.

Anomalisa boldly uses stop-motion animation to explore a searching tale of the human condition.

Jaded inspirational speaker Michael Stone lives a routine existence. Numbed by a misanthropic malaise, his social interactions have become monotonous — each person he meets seeming indistinguishable from the last. That is, until he encounters Lisa. In Michael’s eyes, Lisa is unique, possessing a distinct quality that brings joy and excitement to his otherwise humdrum life. To him, she is an anomaly — an 'Anomalisa'.

Originally written by Charlie Kaufman as an audio play exploring Fregoli syndrome — a psychological condition in which a person believes everyone is the same individual in disguise — the script was later adapted into a screenplay and ultimately realised as a stop-motion animation.

An existential thought experiment on what it means to be human, Anomalisa is a deeply profound meditation on the minute moments that enrich our broader experiences of life. Elegantly expressed through its chosen medium, Anomalisa skilfully uses 3D-printed puppets to mirror the film's central concern: that reflecting on our experiences gives life deeper meaning and fulfillment. The result is an intensely compelling, thought-provoking piece of introspective cinema.

MA15+ | Strong sex scene