Women in Animation at Anthology Film Archives in the East Village, NYC

Anthology Film Archives, the East Village repertory cinema at 32 Second Avenue, held "Women in Animation" from October 11 through 15. The series set out to chronicle the many talents of women working in the medium. Its own description was careful to say it is by no means an exhaustive history, more a sampling of artists.

The centerpiece was FLOWER FAIRIES by Bessie Mae Kelley, a film lost to time until recently and the earliest known hand-drawn animated film directed by a woman. The series also acknowledged the women who worked inside the animation studio system and were largely uncredited for what they contributed. Others took a different route, teaming up with male colleagues to found their own studios. Joy Batchelor and John Halas were represented by THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT, and Morton and Millie Goldsholl by INTERGALACTIC ZOO.

The programming ran across three programs. Program 1 focused on family-friendly animations about the animal kingdom. Program 2 gathered films reflecting a range of experiences of womanhood: being idolized in THE FIGUREHEAD, being a mother in BIRTH and PETIT BONHEUR, and being a woman of the world in W.O.W.

Program 3 was co-presented with the animation collective Sunflower Lane. It brought together personal stories of reproductive health in CYCLES, meditations on existence in MY UNIVERSE INSIDE AND OUT, and an animated interview about female friendship, INTERVIEW.

Rachael Guma guest-programmed the series, and WIA (Women in Animation) co-presented it. The final day, October 15, included a reception with vegan treats provided by Confectionary NYC. Archives from several institutions helped make the films available, and the organizers thanked, among others, the Czech National Film Archive, the Chicago Film Archives, the BFI, the Academy Film Archive and the National Film Board of Canada, along with a number of individual artists and rights holders.