Did you know that the first animated feature was directed by a woman? Lotte Reiniger’s astonishing 1926 adaptation of tales from “One Thousand and One Nights”, The Adventures of Prince Achmed, uses striking silhouette cutouts and gorgeous color tinting to bring to life the story of an Arabian prince who is whisked away on a flying horse to an enchanted land where he tangles with an evil sorcerer, rescues a princess, and joins forces with none other than Aladdin. Painstakingly composed frame by frame by Reiniger over the course of three years, this landmark work is both an enchanting storybook saga and a retina-delighting triumph of visual imagination.

Before Prince Achmed, we’ll be screening John Isaacs’ 1970 documentary short The Art of Lotte Reiniger (17 min) which takes a look at the work of Lotte Reiniger and how she created her shadow animation films.