The Little Island

It is written among the limitless constellations of the celestial heavens, and in the depths of the emerald seas, and upon every grain of sand in the vast deserts, that the world which we see is an outward and visible dream, of an inward and invisible reality ... Once upon a time there was a golden city. In the center of the golden city, atop the tallest minaret, were three golden balls. The ancients had prophesied that if the three golden balls were ever taken away, harmony would yield to discord, and the city would fall to destruction and death. But... the mystics had also foretold that the city might be saved by the simplest soul with the smallest and simplest of things. In the city there dwelt a lowly shoemaker, who was known as Tack the Cobbler. Also in the city... existed a Thief, who shall be... nameless.

Ziggy gets a job to be a street Santa on Christmas Eve from a crooked boss, but the magic of the season allows the lovable loser to do more good than anyone expects.

Raggedy Ann and Andy leave their playroom to rescue Babette, a beautiful French doll kidnapped by a pirate.

A short film by Richard Williams.

A team of scientists debate the nature of an unknown material in this animated fable, inspired by a tale from Rumi's Masnavi.

Prologue depicts Spartan and Athenian warriors locked in a gory battle to the death.

The great illustrator Errol Le Cain animated this rare short film for the Richard Williams Studio in 1967, as his "apprentice work." Professor Alex Bradford sings the catchy gospel soundtrack. (from TheThiefArchive on YouTube)

In the prosperous Golden City, in an unspecified Middle East, the humble shoemaker Tack finds himself coming to blows with a thief who has entered his shop and ends up on the Grand Vizier Zig-Zag, who orders his arrest (while the thief manages to escape). Tack is sentenced to death, but the young princess Yum-Yum takes pity on him and saves him momentarily by ordering him to repair her shoes. The spark strikes between the two, but the thief has a very ambitious project in mind: to steal the golden spheres that protect the city from the top of an imposing minaret. Thus begins a flurry of adventures that will see Tack and Yum-Yum grapple with the enemies of the kingdom.

Sketches of a Spanish circus made by Richard Williams in 1953 come to life. Williams began the project at the age of 20 and finished it when he was 77. It premiered at the Pordenone Silent Film Festival in 2010.

Ebenezer Scrooge, a skinflint visited by the spirits of Christmas past, present and future one fateful Christmas Eve. It's up to them to help the old crab see the error of his ways. And they do, to the delight of Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim.