There is nothing that inspires me more than a female succeeding in the film industry, an industry controlled mostly by men. Which is why I am more than excited to dedicate this page to one woman in particular who took the animated film industry by storm.

Lotte Reiniger was a German filmmaker and the creator of silhouette animation. She created 40 animated films in her lifetime, including "The Adventures of Prince Achmed" and "Papageno." If you haven't seen either one of these, I suggest you do immediately. They both go under some of my favorite animations. Reiniger took her inspiration from Georges Melies, one of my favorite filmmakers, who made great strides in the film industry creating techniques such as substitution splices, dissolves and hand-painted colors.

Reiniger created many amazing animated films way before Walt Disney. To this day her films are used as inspiration for movie titles, animations and stories. If you have never watched anything produced by Reiniger, you’re missing a great opportunity to catch a glimpse at what women have done to change the film industry. Her filmography includes some of Disney’s most famous films like "Cinderella," "The Puss in Boots," "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Thumbelina" and "The Frog Prince."

Reiniger was a woman ahead of time. This is just a glimpse at women can do in the film industry if they only break the chains they were forced in, in the first place. Women have made great strides in the filming world and can continue to do so. If you believe you can't, it is only because you were taught you couldn't. As a double minority (female and Afro-Latin) I have had my fair share of doubts, but, as time went on, I realized that the only way I could make a difference is if I tried in the first place.

"The most powerful decision-making part of the audience is women. Boys have a lot of impact on the industry, but it's often women who impact what stories get made." - Nina Jacobson