Le roman de renard

Le roman de renard (or The Tale of the Fox) By LADISLAS STAREVITCH — 1930

"Le Roman de Renard" by Ladislas Starevitch (Russian immigrant of Polish descent, living in France after the Soviet revolution) ="The Tale of the Fox" release date - 1941, but Ladislas, his wife and his dauther were working on that masterpiece for many years, then he waited for the sound in the cinema to make the sound-track (also beautiful) Один из моих любимых эпизодов фильма великого Владислава Старевича "Роман о Лисе" (или "Рейнеке-Лис") Обязательно прочтите об исключительном человеке, делавшем на заре кинематографа такие чудеса, на которые в наш век высоких технологий мало кто способен!

(from Wikipedia:)

In the kingdom of animals, the fox Renard is used to tricking and fooling everyone. Consequently, the King (a lion), receives more and more complaints. Finally, he orders Renard to be arrested and brought before the throne.

This is the legendary feature film by Wladyslaw Starewicz (or Ladislas Starevitch, or Ladislas Starewicz, or Ladislaw Starewicz, or Ladislas Starewitch, or Ladislaw Starewitsch). It is also his only one, and he directed it with his wife, Irène Starewicz. The story is an adaptation of a compilation or medieval French legends called "Le roman de renart". It's an entertaining story, a social satire, but most of all a landmark in early animation. I find the stop-motion truly remarkable, even by Starewicz's standards. The facial expressions and the movements are very smooth and fluid.

It had a good reception when it was first released, but as it was wartime people quickly forgot about it. They later exploited in under the form of shorts, since it contains many independent stories with one linking narrative.