So…what exactly IS the National Film Registry?

In 1988 in the United States, the National Film Preservation Act established the National Film Preservation Board to select films deemed culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant to be included in the Library of Congress National Film Registry for preservation. The Registry is the list of all these films—hundreds of films—and it is maintained by the Library of Congress.

How does a film become eligible for the Registry?

There are multiple criteria that a film must meet before it becomes eligible for preservation in the Registry. Every December, the National Film Preservation Board adds up to twenty-five new films deemed to be culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. A film doesn’t even become eligible until ten years after it was originally released, but many films wait decades from their release until they are included in the Registry. As of 2024, there are 900 films preserved in the Registry.

Are there any general interest films on the list, or is it all super artsy?

The Registry includes everything from experimental student films to home movies and newsreels to major Hollywood studio productions, from classics of the silent era to “talkies” to Disney Renaissance films to action-packed blockbusters. Essentially, it’s got some of everything! The point of the Registry is not necessarily to preserve the “best” films but to preserve the films that are significant, that have made an impact on American film production, that have influenced or documented major historical moments, that have left an imprint on American culture. So whether it’s Dickson’s Experimental Sound Film (1894), which is a reflection of the then-burgeoning area of recording live action, or the smash hit Die Hard (1988), which revolutionized the action hero and left an entirely new genre of action movies in its wake, these are the films that represent something major about America and/or its film industry.

So…why should I care about the National Film Registry?

The US National Film Registry is a living record of some of the most important and influential films in American history. Anyone who is interested in film history, American history, or movies in general will find something of relevance to them on the Registry. It is an intersection of film history, American history, and American culture and society. From the dark glamour of Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950) to the groundbreaking A Computer-Animated Hand (1972), from the time-bending adventure of Back to the Future (1985) to the realism of Chick Strand’s Fake Fruit Factory (1986), the Registry couldn’t possibly have more variety to offer!

If you would like to learn more about the Registry and see the complete listing of inducted films, visit the Library of Congress website.