Floyd Norman: An Animated Life

"At 90, Disney's first African American animator continues to impact animation and stir up trouble".

Floyd Norman: An Animated Life is a warmhearted and lively documentary about Floyd Norman—the very first African American animator hired at Disney in 1956. It tracks his creative journey, from drawing on films like Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians, to being recruited by Walt Disney himself to work on The Jungle Book. The film explores how, after leaving Disney, Norman co-founded Vignette Films to create animated stories on Black history, and later worked at Hanna-Barbera and Pixar before returning to Disney.

Through interviews, archival footage, and animated tributes by new animators, the film captures Norman’s enduring passion, humility, and sense of fun—even as it touches on ageism, perseverance, and the often-unseen heroes behind the magic of animation.

Directed by Michael Fiore (“Veselka”) and Erik Sharkey (“Drew: The Man Behind the Poster”)

96 minutes

Hosted by Double-Dip Recess DJ Roger with Zoom Q&A to follow with Floyd Norman

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