The Snail Automaton

The Snail Automaton is in early development as a feature adaptation of Nguyễn Thiên Ân's Cannes-selected short The Dream Is a Snail. The project has been chosen for the Focus Co-Pro program at Cannes, an initiative supporting debut features through co-production mentoring and industry networking. Producers Thảo Quiêngg of Kontribute and Bao Nguyen and Anderson Le of East Films are leading development, with backing from CJ Vietnam. The feature reimagines the short's concept on a larger scale as a sci-fi slapstick action comedy—a genre the filmmakers note is rarely embraced in the Vietnamese market. The story follows a hustler who, after evading a murder charge when police refuse to believe his client was turned into a snail, transforms the bizarre premise into a fraudulent spiritual service exploiting vulnerable seniors. Production is based in Ho Chi Minh City, with the project currently seeking international co-production partners.