Lillian Somersaulter Moats

Lillian SOMERSAULTER MOATS and JP SOMERSAULTER are American filmmakers whose collaborative practice forms the core of the Somersaulter–Moats Film Collection. Active primarily between 1973 and 1991, they produced a body of predominantly short animated films, often adapting or reimagining fairy tales for children, alongside a smaller number of works addressing older audiences through myth, imagination and conceptual logic. Educated in creative writing and pedagogy, their filmmaking developed alongside teaching and educational work, integrating animation with storytelling and learning practices. Their films were created using 16mm techniques and handmade animation processes, and collectively received more than 40 awards at national and international festivals. Their work remains preserved within the Chicago Film Archives.