List of animated feature films before 1940

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A list of animated feature films released prior to 1940.

TitleCountryDirectorStudioAnimation techniqueNotesRelease Date
1915
Creation [1] Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Pinto Colvig The Animated Film Corporation Traditional/Cutout First animated feature; Lost film1915
1917
El Apóstol (The Apostle)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Quirino Cristiani Traditional/Cutout Lost film November 9, 1917
1918
Sin dejar rastros (Without a Trace)
Argentina Quirino Cristiani Traditional/Cutout Lost film 1918
1924
Vida y milagros de Don Fausto

(The Life and Miracles of Jiggs)

Chile Carlos Espejo Carlos F. Borcosque Traditional/Cutout Possibly lost film; first Chilean animated filmSeptember 1924
1926
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed
Germany Lotte Reiniger Silhouette The oldest surviving animated feature and the first German animated film.September 23, 1926
1931
Peludópolis (Peludo City)
Peludópolis
Argentina Quirino Cristiani Traditional/Cutout Lost film and the first animated feature film with sound.September 18, 1931
1935
The New Gulliver
Новый Гулливер
Soviet Union Aleksandr Ptushko Mosfilm Stop motion/Live action Combines live-action with animation, and the first animated feature film to be made in the Soviet Union.March 25, 1935
1937
The Tale of the Fox
Le Roman de Renard
France Ladislas Starevich Stop motion Although completed in 1930, it remained unreleased for years because of problems with the original French soundtrack. It premiered in Berlin in 1937 with a German soundtrack, and was released with a new French soundtrack in April 1941. It was also the first French animated film.April 10, 1937
Academy Award Review of Walt Disney Cartoons United States Burt Gillett
Wilfred Jackson
David Hand
Traditional Package film. The first animated feature film to be presented in Technicolor.May 19, 1937
The Seven Ravens
Die sieben Raben
Germany Ferdinand Diehl
Hermann Diehl
Stop motion December 2, 1937
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs United States David Hand
William Cottrell
Wilfred Jackson
Larry Morey
Perce Pearce
Ben Sharpsteen
Walt Disney Productions Traditional Oldest surviving American animated feature overall, and the first to use cels as its medium; the film won a special Academy Award for the first animated feature.December 21, 1937(Carthay Circle Theatre)
1939
The Golden Key
Золотой ключик
Soviet Union Aleksandr Ptushko Mosfilm Stop motion/Live action Combines live-action with animation; Ptushko's last foray into animation.July 1, 1939
Gulliver's Travels United States Dave Fleischer Fleischer Studios Traditional The first American Technicolor animated feature film not to be made by Disney. Also first Technicolor animated feature film made in World War II.December 22, 1939

Key:  Film considered lost 

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References

  1. "Colvig, Pinto". Southern Oregon Historical Society Library. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021.