Jun 23, 2015

Watch: 5 Gobelins Shorts Paying Homage to Pioneers of Female Animation

A highlight of every Annecy Animation Festival is the introductory film shown daily, produced by the students of Gobelins Animation. This year, in honor of the festival's focus on women animators, a mini short film was screened in tribute to the pioneers of women animators.

The short films are not intended to be literal biographies, but to recall the lives and accomplishments of each artist. Mary Blair, the most influential female art director at Disney Studios; Evelyn Lambert, Canada's first female animator; Claire Parker, co-inventor of pin-screen animation; and Lotte Reiniger, who directed the first European feature animation, Alison de Vere, the first woman to win an award at Annecy.

Mary Blair would work in Walt Disney's huge, strictly manicured garden. When Walt Disney welcomes her and invites her to get to work, she magically begins to grow plants. Walt is amazed, but can't stop himself from modifying and toning down Mary's work behind her back...

A tribute to Evelyn Lambert, Canada's first female animator and Norman McLaren collaborator.

1936, Germany. Lotte Reiniger, a prodigal who creates a wonderful universe with her cutouts, finally chooses to face the reality of the outside world.

In a castle full of hedgehogs, engineer Lotte Reiniger tries to satisfy a king who wants her to build an unusual machine. After failing and being discarded, she finds a hedgehog on her head. She shows the king a pinscreen made of the hedgehog and its spines and is amazed.

Alison gives birth to a creature, but the creature escapes under the oppressive gaze of the giant statue. Allison runs after her creation and finally faces the gaze of the crowd.