A portrait of the iconic "man behind the mouse" traces his humble early years on a Missouri farm, World War I service, and early ambitions that prompted the creations of Mickey Mouse and other major characters and films.

"Lotte thinks the cinema is magic. But Lotte doesn't just want to watch the magic: she wants to make it. Before Walt Disney made history with Snow White, Lotte Reiniger created what is considered one of the first feature-length animated films: The Adventures of Prince Achmed. With the outset of World War II, Lotte had to leave her home in Germany, fleeing from place to place for years. But she never stopped creating. Through a love of fairy tales,...