In 1910, Didier Masson successfully flew a biplane designed and built by self-taught engineer Lilian Todd. In the short film Miss Todd, Todd’s life — with the challenges the came with being a woman in early aviation — is turned into an animated musical, although her life takes a slightly different turn.
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Kristina Yee directed Miss Todd and co-wrote the film with Frances Poletti at the National Film and Television School. Miss Todd won a Student Academy Award in 2013 in the Foreign Film category. While it’s a bit fanciful, it’s a lovely celebration of one of aviation’s pioneering women.