The man who said ‘no’ to Disney

Witness History

In 1941, Walt Disney made a tempting offer to a fellow pioneer of the animation industry, Quirino Cristiani - the author of the first animated feature film.

Cristiani was an Italian immigrant raised in Argentina who built a career creating animated political satires in the early days of cinema. He authored full-length movies that he drew entirely on his own, sketching and cutting thousands of figures that he tied with thread to facilitate motion.

Quirino’s technique was rudimentary, but impressive enough to prompt Disney to propose that he join his staff. Hector Cristiani, Quirino’s grandson, tells Stefania Gozzer why his grandfather declined the offer, and what happened to most of his work.

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(Photo: Quirino Cristiani. Credit: Family archive)