Saturday, August 24, 2019. 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM PDT. The Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, 644 North Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Quirino Cristiani - The Mystery of the First Animated Movies is a documentary by Gabriele Zucchelli that explores animation pioneer Quirino Cristiani, who is credited with producing the first animated film in 1917, predating Walt Disney’s work by several years.

Born in Italy, Cristiani emigrated to Argentina in 1900. As a teenager, he developed a passion for drawing and began working with fellow Italian immigrant and film pioneer Federico Valle. Cristiani’s animated film, El Apóstol, a satirical portrait of Argentinian president Hipólito Yrigoyen, marked the beginning of a number of politically-inspired animated productions.