Leah Nelson’s Debut Feature ‘Tangles’ Translates a Graphic Memoir into a Hand-Drawn Cinematic Exploration of Memory and Loss
Fresh off its world premiere at Cannes and subsequent festival screenings at Annecy, TIFF, and OIAF, the animated feature Tangles marks the directorial debut of Leah Nelson, co-founder of Vancouver’s Emmy-winning studio Giant Ant. Adapted from Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir about her family’s experience with Alzheimer’s, the film captures a decade-long journey from page to screen.
The Bottom Line
- The Creative Journey: Directed by Leah Nelson and co-written with Sarah Leavitt and Trev Renney, Tangles spent over a decade in development and three years in hand-drawn production.
- Star-Studded Cast and Producers: The film features a voice cast including Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, and Pamela Adlon, with Louis-Dreyfus, Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Lauren Miller Rogen producing.
- Festival Momentum: Following a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie continues its run through major animation circuits including Annecy, TIFF, and the Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF).
From Page to Screen: The Decade-Long Evolution of ‘Tangles’
The road to bringing Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir to the screen was neither short nor straightforward. According to coverage from Cartoon Brew, the project began when a producer friend handed Nelson the book at a party. At the time, Nelson owned Giant Ant in Vancouver and was dealing with dementia within her own family.
Adapting a deeply personal graphic memoir required shifting a series of static vignettes into a forward-moving cinematic narrative. Nelson worked alongside co-writers Sarah Leavitt and Trev Renney to refine the script. Feedback from producers Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and the team at LYLAS—including Lauren Miller Rogen—pushed the creative team to find the exact balance between an emotionally moving story and the quirky, dynamic inner world of the protagonist.
Here is the kicker: the creators maintained the sparse, expressive black-and-white, hand-drawn feeling of the original book while constructing an entirely original visual language for cinema. Nelson noted that the project reminded her of Persepolis, a film she long admired, which inspired her to bring the memoir to life through animation.
Directing a Heavyweight Voice Cast and Navigating 2D Animation Realities
Translating an intimate story about Alzheimer’s and caregiving required a delicate tonal balance. Nelson noted that the film moves from tenderness and raw emotion to unexpected moments of outright comedy, mirroring the messy reality of family caregiving. This tonal nuance attracted a high-profile voice cast, featuring Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, and Pamela Adlon.
Transitioning from a publicity background and experience in short form at Giant Ant to a feature film required Nelson to master the specific language of animators. To communicate complex movements to her team, she filmed herself performing certain scenes. Furthermore, animators had to continuously balance visual ambition with technical feasibility, finding that simple movements in 2D animation often require intricate execution.
Another striking element of the film is its portrayal of a love story between two women, treated with absolute simplicity as a natural part of the protagonist’s life rather than an issue-driven plot point. Nelson emphasized that when illness strikes at a young age, life continues with romance, choices, and everyday relationships.
Production and Festival Circuit Breakdown
Below is an overview of the key milestones and creative pillars behind Tangles.
| Project Element | Details & Key Figures |
|---|---|
| Source Material | Sarah Leavitt’s graphic memoir about family Alzheimer’s caregiving |
| Key Talent & Voice Cast | Abbi Jacobson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Pamela Adlon |
| Production Studio | Giant Ant (Vancouver) |
| Key Producers | Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Lauren Miller Rogen |
| Festival Circuit | World Premiere at Cannes, followed by Annecy, TIFF, and OIAF |
Drawing as an Act of Resistance Against Memory Loss
At its core, Tangles functions as a story within a story—an animated film about a young woman who is an illustrator. For Nelson, the act of drawing serves almost as an act of resistance against the inevitability of memory loss. As memories fade, creative works like drawings, cinema, and music provide a permanent vessel for storing faces, sensations, and feelings before they disappear forever.
As the film continues its festival run through TIFF and OIAF following its Cannes and Annecy debuts, it stands as a testament to the power of independent animation to tackle complex, emotional human realities.
What are your thoughts on graphic memoirs being adapted into hand-drawn feature animation? Let us know your take in the comments below.
