Maker: Francis Lee
Production: Film Planning Associates, Inc.
Original format: 35mm sound film 1.37:1
Music: Christopher Atwood

1941 was Francis Lee's first film; Ch'an his last. In between, he became an expert Sumi-e watercolorist and here combines eloquent ink paintings with masterful animation methods. The film moves through mysterious shapes, taking the viewer on an explosive meditative journey across the imaginary landscapes of his creations. -Bruce Posner

Francis Lee (1913-1998) began experimenting with abstract animation in 1939, completing 1941 before going to war. After World War II, he made several more pioneering films, including Le Bijou (1946), before returning to painting. In the 1960s/70s he worked again as a cameraman and animator on The Black Fox (1962) and experimental videos. -Jan-Christopher Horak