The Adventures of Prince Achmed

The Adventures of Prince Achmed, completed by pioneering animator Lotte Reiniger in Germany in 1926, is not only one of cinema’s very first full-length animated films (only two Argentinean films, both now lost, may predate it) but also one of the most enchanting animated fairy tales ever created. Reiniger was renowned for her marvellous mastery of the silhouette film, a form employing back-lit paper cut-outs and silhouetted figures. Drawing on stories in 1001 Arabian Nights, the gorgeous Prince Achmed takes audiences on an amazing epic journey as Prince Achmed, astride a magical flying horse, attempts to save his sister Dinarsade from the clutches of a wicked sorcerer, meanwhile falling in love with beautiful Peri Banu, fairy ruler of distant Wak Wak. The movie is a stunning technical achievement; two leading avant-garde filmmakers of the era, Walter Ruttman and Berthold Bartosch, were among Reiniger’s assistants. This beautiful restoration, replete with spectacular colour tinting and a new recording of Wolfgang Zeller’s original 1926 score, showcases the exquisite artistry and visual magic with which Reiniger and team brought a legendary tale to life. "One of the great classics of animation — lively, delicate, inventive, stirring, and romantic” (British Film Institute). B&W with colour tinting, Digibeta video, silent with musical score and English intertitles. 65 mins.