What in the heck is the National Film Registry?

 What exactly IS the National Film Registry?

In 1988, the United States Congress passed the National Film Preservation Act in response to a call from members of the film industry for government preservation efforts. The Act created the National Film Preservation Board, which since 1989 has added films yearly to the National Film Registry, a growing compendium of American films considered culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.

How does a film get added to the Registry?

There are several criteria that a film must meet to be eligible for inclusion in the Registry. One of them is time. A film has to have been released a minimum of ten years ago to even be eligible for preservation. This is an important factor when determining significance; some films are added in their first year of eligibility, while others are over a hundred years old and have not been included. Another important factor is cultural impact and popularity, and individuals can nominate up to fifty films each year for consideration by the Board and the Librarian of Congress. No more than twenty-five new films are added every year, however. It's a tight competition, and not every film is significant.

What kinds of films are in the Registry?

All kinds! The kinds of films you're probably thinking of (such as Casablanca and Citizen Kane) are there in spades, certainly. But so are more modern classics (like Blade Runner and Back to the Future), animated features (hello, Disney!), melodramas and romance films, action and superhero movies, slasher flicks, and documentaries. And it doesn't stop there! Actuality films, early animated shorts, newsreel footage, boxing matches, home movies, student films and more mingle together in the National Film Registry. There's something for everyone!

Where can I learn more about the Registry and see a list of all the films?

You can learn more on the Library of Congress's website. For an overview of the Registry click here, and to see a complete list of films click here.