The world's first animated feature is given a new, electronic-infused jazz score by Phillip Johnston and his quartet.
When a mysterious sorcerer attempts to arrange a marriage with a young princess, her brother, Prince Achmed, is quick to intervene. However, the prince is tricked into mounting a flying horse and is soon whisked away to a faraway land.
Drawing on a long history of shadow puppetry and based on stories from Arabian Nights, Lotte Reiniger’s beautifully handcrafted silhouette animation is the world’s oldest surviving animated feature – and perhaps the world's first. Ninety-four years young, this early work of silent cinema is complemented with a new, electronic-infused jazz score by Phillip Johnston and his quartet.
This very special free performance is co-presented with the Goethe-Institut and Fed Square. Arrive early to grab a free gelato, a deckchair or bring your own chair or picnic rug.
Further reading
READ: Scissors make films: Lotte Reiniger on creating her magical animations
Lotte Reiniger, Sight & Sound, Spring 1936
READ: Before Walt Disney, there was Lotte Reiniger – the story of the world’s first animated feature
Alexander Sergeant, The Conversation, 24 Oct 2019.
About Phillip Johnston
Phillip Johnston is an American-born saxophonist and composer whose extensive work includes jazz and contemporary composition, and music for film, theatre, and a variety of ensembles. Johnston has composed scores for some classic films from the silent era including Faust (1926), Page of Madness (1926) and short films by Georges Méliès.
