Charlotte "Lotte" Reiniger (2 June 1899 – 19 June 1981) was a German film director and the foremost pioneer of silhouette animation, anticipating Walt Disney by over ten years. Reiniger made over 40 films over her career, all using her invention. Her most well known films are The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) and The Magic Flute, featuring music by Mozart.
German animator, a pioneer in silhouette cartoons whose work was based on the traditions of the oriental shadow theatre. Started with the Max Reinhardt Theatre Company in the late 1910s. Made her first full-length animated feature, Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed (1926). During the 1930's, worked in Canada and in Britain (for the GPO Film Unit). Most of her output consisted of short films. Among many shadow plays for the BBC, she turned out her first silhouette color work with Jack and the Beanstalk (1955). She absented herself from the cinema for ten years following the death of her husband and collaborator, Carl Koch. In her later years, she lectured in shadow animation in Europe and the US.
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Die 4 Jahreszeiten von Lotte Reiniger
1980
Short
The Rose and the Ring
1979
Short
Aucassin and Nicolette
1975
Short
The Lost Son
1974
Short
The Frog Prince
1961
Short
Helen la belle
1957
Short
The Star of Bethlehem
1956
TV Short
Hänsel and Gretel
1955
Short
Jack and the Beanstalk
1955
Short
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
1954
Short
Caliph Storch
1954
Short
Däumlienchen
1954
Short
Puss in Boots
1954
Short
Snow White and Rose Red
1954
Short
The Frog Prince
1954
Short
The Gallant Little Tailor
1954
Short
The Grasshopper and the Ant
1954
Short
The Little Chimney Sweep
1954
Short uncredited
The Sleeping Beauty
1954
Short
The Three Wishes
1954
Short
Cinderella
1954
Short
The Magic Horse
1953
Short
Mary's Birthday
1951
Short
Not Without Licence
1950
TV Short
The Dancing Fleece
1950
Short animation director
Here and There
1949
Short
The Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs
1944
Short
The HPO
1938
Short
Daughter
1937
The King's Breakfast
1937
Short
The Tocher
1937
Short a film ballet by
Puss in Boots
1936
Short
Silhouetten
1936
animation scenes
Galathea: Das lebende Marmorbild
1935
Short
Kalif Storch
1935
Papageno
1935
Short
The Little Chimney Sweep
1935
Short
Das gestohlene Herz
1934
Short
Carmen
1933
Short
Das rollende Rad
1933
Short
Sissi
1932
Harlekin
1931
Short
Zehn Minuten Mozart
1930
Short
Der scheintote Chinese
1928
Short
Dr. Dolittle and His Animals
1928
Short
Grotesken im Schnee
1928
Short uncredited
The Chinese Nightingale
1927
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed
1926
Die Barcarole
1924
Short
Cinderella
1922
Short
Sleeping Beauty
1922
Short
The Flying Koffer
1922
Short
The Secret of the Marquise
1922
Short
The Star of Bethlehem
1921
The Ornament of the Lovestruck Heart
1919
Short
Animation Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Rose and the Ring
1979
Short animator
Aucassin and Nicolette
1975
Short animator
The Star of Bethlehem
1956
TV Short animator
Hänsel and Gretel
1955
Short animator
Jack and the Beanstalk
1955
Short animator
Caliph Storch
1954
Short animator
Däumlienchen
1954
Short animator
Puss in Boots
1954
Short animator
Snow White and Rose Red
1954
Short animator
The Frog Prince
1954
Short animator
The Gallant Little Tailor
1954
Short animator
The Grasshopper and the Ant
1954
Short animator
The Little Chimney Sweep
1954
Short animator / designer
The Sleeping Beauty
1954
Short animator
The Three Wishes
1954
Short animator
Mary's Birthday
1951
Short animator
The HPO
1938
Short animator
La Marseillaise
1938
shadow artist: ombres chinoises/shadows theatre
The King's Breakfast
1937
Short animator
The Tocher
1937
Short animator
The Pursuit of Happiness
1930
Short animator
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed
1926
animator
Die Barcarole
1924
Short animator
Cinderella
1922
Short animator
The Lost Shadow
1921
animation effects
The Pied Piper of Hamelin
1918
assistant animator
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Una signora dell'ovest
1942
screenplay
The HPO
1938
Short
The Pursuit of Happiness
1930
Short
Grotesken im Schnee
1928
Short uncredited
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed
1926
uncredited
Bewegte Bilder. Deutsche Trickfilme der Zwanziger Jahre
1975
TV Movie documentary commentary
Däumlienchen
1954
Short
The Gallant Little Tailor
1954
Short
The Grasshopper and the Ant
1954
Short
The Three Wishes
1954
Short
Cinderella
1954
Short
Not Without Licence
1950
TV Short script
Here and There
1949
Short
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Don Quixote
1933
Chinese shades
Don Quichotte
1933/I
ombres chinoises
Don Quichotte
1933/II
ombres chinoises
Apokalypse
1918
Short title designer
Assistant Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Una signora dell'ovest
1942
assistant director
Tosca
1941
assistant director
The Pursuit of Happiness
1930
Short assistant director
Cinematographer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Here and There
1949
Short
Art Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Jack and the Beanstalk
1955
Short designer
Art Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Die schöne Prinzessin von China
1917
Short
Camera Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Not Without Licence
1950
TV Short camera
Costume Designer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Die schöne Prinzessin von China
1917
Short
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Grotesken im Schnee
1928
Short producer
Production Designer
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Star of Bethlehem
1956
TV Short
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
13 Cantos of Hell
1955
Short dedicatee
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Die Frau hinter den Schatten: Lotte Reiniger
1981
TV Short documentary
Herself
Bewegte Bilder. Deutsche Trickfilme der Zwanziger Jahre
1975
TV Movie documentary
Herself
The Art of Lotte Reiniger
1970
Documentary short
Herself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Lotte Reiniger - Tanz der Schatten
2012
Documentary
Herself
Lotte Reiniger
1985
TV Movie
Herself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1972
Honorary Award
German Film Awards
For her continued outstanding individual contributions to the german film over the years.