Lotte Reiniger – Tanz der Schatten

It is not Walt Disney – as is often claimed – whom we have to thank for the first feature-length animated film in history, but the German film artist Lotte Reiniger. In 1926 this virtuoso of the art of silhouette film worked her magic and brought “The Adventures of Prince Achmed” to the silent film screen. She had invented a new kind of artistic film somewhere between the aestheticism of Jugendstil, expressionism and magical fairytales. This documentary recounts the artist’s life experiences and work, and the influence her works continue to have today.