Release Dates & Distributors

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature-length animated picture ever made in America. It premiered in 1937 and has been re-released to theatres--and then home video--in every decade since. Distribution companies and/or special releases are listed in parentheses.

1938, 1967 Lobby Cards (USA)

USA--

1937, December 6 (Pomona preview)
1937, December 21 (RKO Radio Pictures world premiere at Carthay Circle Theatre )
1938, January 13 (RKO; Radio City Music Hall, NYC; Sheridan Theater, Miami)
1938, February 4 (RKO general release)
1940, July (RKO; Festival of Hits re-release)
1944, February 22 (first RKO stand alone re-release)
1952, February 13 (RKO)
1958, February 7 (Buena Vista Pictures)
1967, June 11 (Buena Vista; 30th Anniversary general release)
1975, December 20 (Buena Vista)
1983, July 15 (Buena Vista)
1987, July 15 (Buena Vista; 50th Anniversary, New York City)
1987, July 17 (Buena Vista; 50th Anniversary, general release)
1993, July 2 (Buena Vista)

1994, October 28 (Buena Vista Home Video; Masterpiece Collection VHS/Laser Disc)
2001, October 9 (Platinum Edition DVD)
2009, October 6 (Diamond Edition Blu-ray)
2009, November 24 (Diamond Edition DVD)
2012, September 29 (New York Film Festival)
2016, January 19 (Signature Collection Digital HD/Disney Movies)
2016, February 2 (Signature Collection Blu-ray/DVD)

____

Although the original film was produced in English, the appeal of the story is universal. As a result, many other dubs have been created with language tracks for the international community. With the advent of home video, the number of languages has increased ever more.

The following list of theatrical release dates (and distribution companies) is a work-in-progress and is far from complete. Updates will be added as more details are confirmed. If you have information on this or any other aspect of the film in your country, feel free to email Filmic Light at the address provided in my complete profile.

1938 One Sheet (Argentina); 1982 One Sheet (Finland)

Afghanistan--

1945, September 8 IMDb

Algeria--

1938, October 31 (Algiers screening) IMDb

Argentina--

1938, January 22 (RKO Buenos Aires premiere) IMDb
1938, January 26 (RKO general release) IMDb
1958(c.) (Rank Films)
1975(c.) (20th Century Fox)

Australia--

1938, June 2 (RKO) IMDb
1953, August 21 IMDb
1976, August 9 (Melbourne International Film Festival) IMDb
1976(c.) (Buena Vista via British Empire Films)
1983, December 15 (Greater Union Organisation) IMDb
1987, July 17 (Village Roadshow Corporation 50th Anniversary screening)
1988, December 26 IMDb
1992, April 9 IMDb

Austria--

1948, June 25 (Atlantic Film/Atlantik-Filmverleih gala premiere in Vienna)
1949, January 14 (Atlantic Film first general release)
1958, December (Sascha-Film)
1966, November (Rank Films)
1975(c.) (Cinema International Corporation)

Belarus--

1978, July 31 IMDb

Belgium--

1938, May 20 (RKO Brussels premiere)
1938, May 26 (RKO general release) IMDb
1951 (RKO)
1962 (Discibel)
1973 (Elan Film)
1983
1987, July 17 (special 50th Anniversary screening)
1992 (Warner Bros.)

Brazil--

1938, September 5 (RKO Rio de Janeiro premiere - Odeon and São Luiz Theatres)
1938, October 10 (RKO São Paulo - Alhambra, Odeon and Rosario theatres; then general release)
1944, June 22 (RKO; new 35mm prints)
1952, August 27 (RKO; 35mm & 16mm)
1958, July (RKO; in some states)
1965, December 27 (Rio de Janeiro; redub)
1966, July 4 (São Paulo)
1977, December 24 (Cinema International Corporation)
1987, June 25 (50th Anniversary)
1992, December 5 (Warner Bros. screening promoted by newspaper "Folha de São Paulo")
1992, December 11 (Warner Bros. general re-release)

Canada--

1938, late January (press preview)
1938, April 5 (RKO) IMDb
1944
1952
1958
1967
1975
1983
1987, July 17 (Buena Vista 50th Anniversary)
1993

China--

1938, June 2 (Nanking screening) IMDb
1987 (50th Anniversary)

Croatia--

1965, January 18 (Zagreb screening) IMDb

Czech Republic--

1938, September 16 (RKO) IMDb
1970s

Denmark--

1938, September 29 (RKO)
1952, December 26 IMDb
1962, December 26 IMDb
1982
1994 (Danish dub) IMDb

Egypt--

1939, January (Cairo screening) IMDb

El Salvador--

1967, January 14 IMDb

Finland--

1938, October 16
1962, December 21 (Suomi-Filmi Oy)
1973, December 21 IMDb
1982, December 17 (Suomi-Filmi Oy)
1987, July 17 (special 50th anniversary screening)

1938 120 x 160cm (France); 1950s B2 Format (Japan)

France--

1938 May 6 (RKO Marignan Theatre Paris premiere)
1944, December 30 (RKO Paris)
1951, August 31 (RKO)
1962, December 12 (Athos Films; French redub)
1973, December 5 (Walt Disney Productions)
1983, November 30 (Walt Disney Productions)
1987, July 17 (special 50th Anniversary screening)
1992, February 12 (Warner Bros.)

Germany--

1950, February 24 (RKO)
1957, December 12 (Herzog-Filmverleih)
1966, November 18 (MGM) IMDb
1975, December 19 (Fox-MGM) IMDb
1983, November 26 (20th Century Fox) IMDb
1987, July 17 (special 50th Anniversary screening)
1992, April 2 (Warner Bros.) IMDb

Greece-

2007, September (Athens Film Festival)

Guyana--

1953, February 14 IMDb

Hong Kong--

1941, January 16 IMDb

Hungary--

1938, December 22 (RKO) IMDb
1962, September 13 (MOKÉP; Hungarian redub)
1982, December 2 (MOKÉP)

India--

1965, February 10 IMDb

Indonesia --

1945, August 13 IMDb

Ireland--

1938, July 8 (RKO Capitol Cinema Dublin premiere)
1944, April 7
1953, December 18
1965, December 17
1981, December 11
1987, December 18
1992, April 17

Israel--

1960, January 31 IMDb

Italy--

1938, August 8 (Venice Film Festival)
1938, December 23 (RKO/Generalcine general release)
1950, January 1 (RKO)
1953, April 16 (RKO 16mm release)
1962, December 13 (Rank Films)
1972, December 20 (Cinema International Corporation; Italian redub)
1980, December 19 (Cinema International Corporation)
1987, July 17 (UIP special 50th anniversary screening; one day/free admission in Torino-Milano-Roma only)
1987, December 10 (United International Pictures)
1992, March 27 (Warner Bros.)
1994, April 1 (Buena Vista International)

Jamaica--

1973, May 27 IMDb

Japan--

1950, September 26 (Daiei Motion Picture Company) IMDb
1957, December 17 IMDb
1968, March 9 IMDb
1980, July 19
1985, July 20 IMDb
1987, July 17 (special 50th Anniversary screening)
1990, July 21 IMDb
1994, January 8 IMDb

Kuwait--

1984, June 11 IMDb

Lebanon--

1966, July 30 IMDb

Malaysia--

1956, January 10 (Kuala Lumpur screening) IMDb
1972, October 7 IMDb

1964 Lobby Card (Mexico)

Mexico--

1938, July 21 (RKO) IMDb
1952 (RKO)
1964, December 14 (Rank Films; redubbed in Mexico City)
1975
1983(c)
1987, July 17 (special 50th anniversary screening)
1993(c)

Morocco--

1964, January 1 IMDb

Netherlands--

1938, November 11 (RKO Dutch-language edited version)
1939, February 24 (RKO Dutch-language unedited version)
1939, March 17 (RKO English-language)
1984, December 20
1992, April 10

Norway--

1938, September 12 IMDb
2002, May 1 (Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival)

Philippines--

1949, September 24 (Davao screening) IMDb

Poland--

1938, December 21
2001, May 25 IMDb

Portugal--

1938, December 14 (RKO; Teatro Politeama Theatre Lisbon premiere)
1938, March 9 (RKO; general release)
1992, April 10 IMDb

Russia--

1955
1987 (special 50th Anniversary screening)

Spain--

1941, October 6 (Filmofono)
1952 (RKO)
1964 (Filmax; soundtrack redubbed in Mexico City)
1975 (Filmayer)
1983, December 2 (Filmayer)
1992 (Warner Bros.)

Sweden--

1938, September 27 (RKO) IMDb
1949, December 12 IMDb
1962, December 15 IMDb
1973, December 22 IMDb
1982, December 17 IMDb
1992, March 27 IMDb

Switzerland--

1938, December 17 (German-language) IMDb

Syria--

1976, March 13 IMDb

Taiwan--

1954, November 17 IMDb

Trinidad and Tobago--

1997, September 20 (Port of Spain screening) IMDb

Turkey--

1938, December 21 (Istanbul premiere)

United Kingdom--

1938, February 17 (Rialto Cinema trade show)
1938, February 24 (RKO New Gallery London premiere)
1938, March 12 (RKO general release)
1938, December 26 (RKO holiday revival)
1939, May (RKO Stoll Theatre revival)
1943, December (RKO New Gallery revival)
1944, April 3 (RKO first reissue general release)
1953, December 18 (Studio One revival)
1954, April 12
1964, December 20
1972, December 24
1980, December 21
1982, January 21
1987, July 14 (Walt Disney Company via U.K. Film Distributors, Ltd.; 50th anniversary)
1987, December 16 (Walt Disney Company via U.K. Film Distributors, Ltd.)
1992, February 21 (Warner Bros.)
1994, July 1 (Buena Vista International; Scotland early release)
1994, July 22 (Buena Vista International; nationwide)