Animation | Rarebit Early Animation Wiki

Handala

This article shares the story behind one of the most universal symbols of resistance amongst Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. This image is of Handala, a cartoon character who is a young Palestinian refugee. He wears tattered clothes and has his back turned. He is seen as a symbol of defiance and is an image that can be found across the country (and around the world), graffitied onto universities, within artwork displayed at museums, and in personal items such as on T-shirts and key chains. Handala was created by Naji al-Ali, a Palestinian cartoonist who was exiled as a child in 1948 and murdered in 1987. He published three books of his cartoons and worked for the newspaper Al-Qabas in London.

Somewhere In Dreamland (1936) | Kids Escape Poverty

Kids Escape Poverty is a Fleischer Studios animated short that discusses childhood poverty and community. It follows the story of two children, who cope with their poverty by dreaming up a magical land where they have all their needs met. In the end their community ralley around them to provide the children with a nice meal and presents.
(Duration: 9:06)

Explore: Solstice, sunshine and the sacred

A British Museum article honours the summer solstice by sharing how different cultures across time have celebrated the power of the sun and the mystery of the summer solstice. It compares various historical artifacts that share in the broad cultural significance of depticting the sun and the summer solstice in art.

Cartoon of the Month: Weather-beaten Melody

In celebration of the summer solstice, this month’s featured animation is Verwitterte Melodie (Weather-beaten Melody, 1943), a German animated cartoon created during World War II, directed by Hans Fischerkoesen. Using dynamic shots, subtle references to “degenerate art” and a diverse array of characters, this film critiques the Nazi regime’s restrictive ways of thinking by emphasizing the depth and nuance of life

Featured Animation: Mother Hen’s Holiday (1937)

In celebration of Mother’s Day on May 10, this month’s featured animation is Mother Hen’s Holiday, a short cartoon about an overworked mother hen whose rowdy children try to make her a gift to show their affection on Mother’s Day

Featured Animation: Air!

This month’s theme is Earth Day, which is celebrated on April 22. In honour of Earth Day’s mission to promote sustainability, this month’s animation is Air! a short about the importance of having clean, breathable air.

Featured Animation: Pussy Pumps Up

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, this month’s animation is “Pussy Pumps Up”, an Australian short which explores feminine sexuality and gender fluidity.

Featured Animation: Põrgu/Hell (1984)

In honour of International Mother Language Day, this month’s animation is Rein Raamat’s Estonian-language short Hell (1984).

Featured Animation: Dog Gone (1926)

To ring in the new year, check out this cartoon which turns 100 in 2026, Dog Gone! Part of the popular Mutt and Jeff animated series (1916-1926), Dog Gone (1926) is a short comedy where Mutt convinces Jeff to dress as a dog in order to enter a dog competition.

Featured Animation: Snehulak (The Snowman)

In honour of the Winter Solstice on December 21st, this month’s feature animation is Hermína Týrlová’s wintery short animation The Snowman

Featured Animation: Animations from Cape Dorset (1973)

In recognition of International Inuit Day on November 7th, this month’s animation is Animation from Cape Dorset, a 1973 experimental short film made by a group of Inuit artists in Nunavut.

Featured Animation: Madeline (1952)

In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines…

Featured Animation: Al-tariq illa Filastin (The Road to Palestine) (1985)

Learn more about the Palestinian experience told through animation.

Featured Animation: Sen noci svatojánské (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) (1959)

Relish the dog days of summer with a twist on Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Featured Animation: Kaleidoscope (1935) (Co-curated by Alla Gadassik)

Kick off Len Lye’s birth month by experiencing one of his first direct animations, selected by Alla Gadassik.

(Digital image from material preserved by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision).

Featured Animation: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe – Prince Adam No More (1983)

Celebrate Pride Month by checking out Filmation’s most queer-coded protagonist—He-Man.

Featured Animation: Running a Cinema (1921) (Co-Curated by Malcolm Cook)

Thanks to the co-curation of Malcolm Cook from the University of Southampton, UK, enjoy an early British silent animation archived by BFI

Featured Animation: En la Selva hay Mucho por Hacer (In the Jungle There is Much to Do)(1973)

An early stop-motion animated short from Uruguay, Latin American addressing political content in allegorical form

Featured Animation: Quasi at the Quackadero (1975)

Enjoy an psychedelic animated short of a journey to a bizarre land.

Featured Animation: Legend of the White Serpent (白蛇伝)(1958)

As the Year of the Snake has arrived, enjoy the first feature-length animation of Toei which was in fact based on a Chinese folklore about a white snake demon, Bai Niang, falling in love with a mortal man.

Featured Animation: The Man Next Door (隣の野郎)(1965)

A 9-min short reflecting on increasing urbanization and noises which foreverly bothers the protagonist in agnony.

Featured Animation: ABCD (1985)

“D as in Dictator”

Featured Animation: Mr.Nanguo (南郭先生)(1981)

Featured Animation: The Wanted 18 (2014)

A hybrid of claymation with live-action interviews retelling the story of civil disobedience during the First Intifada in Palestine.

Featured Animation: Gumbasia (1953)

Art Clokey’s student film which led to the creation of his most iconic clay humanoid, Gumby

Featured Animation: Fantastic Planet (La Planète sauvage)(1973)-Meditation Scene

“After a while, I lost my intimacy with Tiwa. As she grew up, she gave up her playthings. Deprived of lessons, I decided to run away.” ——Terr

Featured Animation: Three Monks (三个和尚)(1980)

One monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but add a third and no one will want to fetch water.

Featured Animation: Typhoid Sufferers (Tifusari) (1963)

Land of war and despair is everywhere

Featured Animation: Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓)(1988)-Reunion in Afterlife

A heartbreaking story of two children suffering from war starvation and reunion after death

Featured Animation: My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

Let us refresh our memory of Miyazaki Hayao’s early work in celebration of his latest film “The Boy and the Heron” winning of Oscar’s Best Animated Feature

Featured Animation: Son of the White Mare (1981)-Kingdom Restored

Enjoy Hungarian famous psychedelic cult classic’s ending scene featuring the coming of spring

Featured Animation: Nezha Conquers the Dragon King-Final Battle (1979)

In celebration of the coming of Lunar New Year and the year of dragon, enjoy a Chinese animation featuring some of the most astounding depiction of dragons.

Featured Animation: Soul (2020)-Performance Scene

Enjoy the jazz performance of extraordinary lighting and motion.

Featured Animation: Snow Child (1980)

During a winter in the forest, here lies a story of friendship, love, and self-sacrifice.

Explore: Animation Showcase Unveils 2023 Best Animated Shorts Collection

Acclaimed web portal The Animation Showcase has revealed its lineup of top short films included in this year’s Best Animated Short Film Collection.

Link of the Month: Sony Pictures Acquires Polish Oscar Pick ‘The Peasants,’ Plans Awards Push

Sony Pictures Classics (SPC) has secured rights in North America, Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia/New Zealand to Poland’s international feature Oscar submission The Peasants, the second animated feature from Loving Vincent filmmakers DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman.

Featured Animation: The Friendly Ghost (1945)-Casper Playing with Friends

Casper the Friendly Ghost, created by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo, is an anime character from the Famous Studio. Announcing his debut in the short animation “The Friendly Ghost” (1945), Casper appeared as a translucent, cute ghost child visiting the world of the living, where he makes friends with two human children, Bonnie and Johnny.

Explore: VFX Workers At Walt Disney Pictures Move To Unionize With IATSE

Biography of the Month: Don Lusk

Link of the Month: Arleen Sorkin, Actress Who Originated Harley Quinn, Dies Age 67

Featured Animation: Bambi (1942) – Wildfire scene

Over the summer, North America has experienced an increase in wildfires across the continent as a result of climate change. For September, Rarebit features a clip from the Disney classic ‘Bambi’ to illustrate the damage done to the environment and displacement of wildlife who inhabit our beautiful forests.

Explore: Barbie Liberation Organization

Explore: The History of DIC

Biography of the Month: Peter Foldes

Link of the Month: ‘Barbenheimer’ Isn’t Funny in Nuclear-Scarred Japan

Featured Animation: Barbie and the Rockers – Out of This World (1987)

August returns with a special double feature to highlight the strangest movie event of the season. This month features the 1956 adult-animated short, ‘A Short Vision’ and the first Barbie animated TV special, ‘Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World’.

Featured Animation: A Short Vision (1956)

August returns with a special double feature to highlight the strangest movie event of the season. This month features the 1956 adult-animated short, ‘A Short Vision’ and the first Barbie animated TV special, ‘Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World’.

Explore: MGM’s “The Yankee Doodle Mouse” (1943)

Biography of the Month: Kenneth Muse

Link of the Month: Steven Spielberg Donates Classic Animation Art Collection To The Academy’s Archives

Featured Animation: Tom and Jerry – Safety Second

Happy 4th of July! This date marks Independence Day in the United States, celebrating the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the nation in 1776. What other way to commemorate the day with a Tom and Jerry cartoon about celebrating the 4th of July itself? (CONTENT WARNING: Depiction of blackface from 6:15-6:27).

Explore: Restoring Professor Balthazar

Biography of the Month: Zlatko Grgić

Link of the Month: NFB Collection: Zlatko Grgíc

Image: Deep Threat (1977)

Featured Animation: Professor Balthazar – Izumitelj cipela/The Inventor of Shoes (1967)

June 21st marks the birthday of Croatian-Canadian animator Zlatko Grgíc, who would have turned 92 years old this year! This month features the debut episode of the Yugoslav animated series “Professor Balthazar: The Inventor of Shoes”! (WARNING: flashing imagery from 2:36-2:40 and 7:34-7:39)