Ivan Kander

A product of ’90s entertainment, my childhood existed on a healthy (or unhealthy, depending on how you look at it) staple of Disney animated musicals. Pfft! Forget Frozen! We had Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King. We had classics! Miss Todd—from filmmaker Kristina Yee and co-writer Frances Poletti—feels like it belongs to that cinematic epoch. I mean that in the best of ways.

Feeling as nostalgic as it does fresh, Miss Todd is an animated stop-motion musical about a young, tenacious woman fighting against the rigid constraints of a male dominated society. Based on a real person, it’s an inspiring fairy tale that bounces from scene to scene, carried forward by a seemingly endless supply of feel-good exuberance. The message is positive and the film crafts a protagonist who is both plucky and likable. This is the ’90s Disney Princess film about a feminist aviation icon that you never knew you even wanted.

The film is somewhat lacking in depth, but honestly, you’ll probably be so caught up by its charm that you’ll hardly even notice or care. The music, while not totally innovative, is pleasing to listen to—each number edited and constructed in way to really highlight a sense of showmanship. After a few numbers, you’re gonna want to stand up and give your laptop a round of applause (much to your embarrassment). The visual aesthetic is robust and interesting, combining paper-cutouts with other practical materials, sets, and effects. The tangibility of the film—the fact that everything is really all glue, paper, and balsa wood—makes it that much more of a magical viewing experience.

Considering its audience-pleasing nature, it’s no surprise that Miss Todd had quite the festival tour, scooping up a Student Academy Award along the way (the film was completed at the National Film and Television School in England). Director/writer Kristina Yee is currently developing a feature length version of this story. Hear that Disney? We might have found your next multi-billion-dollar franchise.

To learn more about the project (including a full cast and credit list), check out the film’s website. Also, you can purchase a children’s book that was crafted using stills from the film. It’s a story that’s bound to inspire young aviators anywhere.