ALEXANDRE ALEXEIEFF AND HIS PINSCREEN ANIMATION

EARLY YEARS  Born in Russia, but emigrated to France in 1919, when he was 18  Studied painting and design  Intended a career as a book illustrator, but became a set director for the ballet  Married the illegitimate daughter of a Russian nobleman and began to work with her on his own invention: pinscreen animation

PINSCREEN ANIMATION

LATER LIFE  In 1931 met Claire Parker, MIT grad, and they became lovers  The two worked together on first major success: Night on Bald MountainNight on Bald Mountain  In 1940, the Alexeieffs and their daughter Svetlana, plus Claire Parker, moved to the US and then to Canada for the duration of the war  In 1946, all four returned to Paris, though Alexeieff was by now married to Claire Parker  1963: the first narrative film on the pinscreen: The NoseThe Nose