Elizabeth Beecherl and Carla Patullo, 2018

Once upon a time, long before Disney and the other animation giants, Lotte Reiniger ignited the screen with shadows, light, and scissors—a unique style of storytelling and visual contrast has inspired many filmmakers. The Adventures of Prince Achmed is the oldest surviving feature-length animation, and she also invented the multi-plane camera, changing the field of animation forever. This visual symphony of smart, artful, and romantic animation is accompanied by a truly imaginative and emotional musical score as well as the wonderful narration of Lotte’s gravely and thickly accented voice. Screening with Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405.

10 minutes