ub iwerks
The Man and His Films

MIAF is delighted to take this comprehensive look at one of the true masters of animation – Ub Iwerks. If you have ever seen Mickey Mouse, you have seen but one small contribution that he has made to the artform. We are honoured to welcome our special guest LESLIE IWERKS, a gifted filmmaker in her own right and, as the granddaughter of the great man, an ideal person to have chronicled his life in film. Her masterful feature film – “The Man Behind The Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story” is an outstanding tribute to Ub Iwerks and his work. Additionally, with Leslie’s help, MIAF has secured a collection of his most beloved films and this voyage back to the very foundations of popular animation will be a special treat for young and old. Leslie Iwerks will introduce both of these programs.

Leslie Iwerks is currently in post production on a feature documentary on Pixar Animation Studios and is co-authoring the official 20th anniversary book on Pixar (entitled “To Infinity And Beyond – The Story of Pixar Animation Studios"). She is also in post production on an independently produced documentary entitled “Recycled Life” about the thousands of people who have been living and working in the Guatemala City garbage dump for decades.

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The Man Behind The Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
Leslie Iwerks > 1999 > 90'00

Thur 23 June
8.00pm
ACMI Cinema 1

Introduced by Leslie Iwerks

Creator of Mickey Mouse, the inventor of cinematic devices that changed the way films were made and with more than 200 film credits to his name, Ub Iwerks was a visionary, a technical genius and animator extraordinare. His earliest drawings are worth millions of dollars and he was a mentor to the industry’s finest animators including Fritz Freleng and Chuck Jones.

As Walk Disney’s first business partner, he created and animated Mickey Mouse – originally an act of desperation brought on by the need for a new character after the pair had been robbed of their first successful series by a distributor. Animating the first three Mickey Mouse cartoons single handedly at 700 drawings a day, Iwerks soon became one of the fastest and most prestigious animators in the world. Stumbling upon the novelty of talkies, a soundtrack was added to Steamboat Willie making it the first synchronised sound cartoon in the world.

The success of the Disney studio combined with Iwerks desire to chart new ground in animation saw the partnership end. As well as creating such classics series as Flip The Frog, Willie Whopper and the ComiColor collection. Ub invented a variety of devices (some still in use today) that revolutionised the way animation was created. Additionally, he is credited with the creating the special effects of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” which merged live action and animation as well as some pioneering special effects on Alfred Hitchcocks’ “The Birds”

Culled from a compilation of articles, never before printed photos and archival footage, recreations and interviews, “The Man Behind The Mouse” is the untold story of Ub Iwerks – one of the most important animators who ever lived.

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Ub Iwerks Classic Short Films Collection

Sun 26 June
3.30pm
ACMI Cinema 2

suitable for under 18's

Introduced by Leslie Iwerks

There can hardly be a more iconic figure in animation than Mickey Mouse. Ub Iwerks created and developed Mickey…. and then moved on. A combination of his astounding talent and his ingenuity for creating new tools with which to push the boundaries of animation at that time saw him create some of the most stylised and lavish cartoons of the 1930s. This collection of his most famous and important films promises to be a very special occasion. It showcases one of animation’s finest creators and will provide us, through an introduction and Q&A with his granddaughter, Leslie, a direct link to this great man.

The highlights of this program will include:

Plane Crazy > 1928
Was the very first Mickey Mouse cartoon. It was inspired by Lindbergh’s trans Atlantic adventures and also introduced Mickey’s ‘fiancée’, Minnie Mouse.

Steamboat Willie > 1928
Remains the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon. As the first ‘talkie’ cartoon, it caused an absolute sensation when it was released in New York.

The Skeleton Dance > 1929
Was the first of the ‘Silly Symphony’ series, in some ways a more challenging collection of films designed to explore more fully the collaboration between sound and vision.

Fiddlesticks > 1930
Was Flip The Frog’s debut film which, as a two-strip Cinecolor film beat Disney to colour by two years.

Don Quixote > 1934
A more mature and thought provoking film and widely regarded as
one of Iwerks’ best works as an independent animator and director.

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