The National Film Registry (NFR) is the United States National Film Preservation Board's (NFPB) collection of films selected for preservation, each for its cultural, historical and aesthetic contributions since the NFPB's inception in 1988.
History Throughout the 1980s, several prominent filmmakers and industry personalities in the United States, such as Frank Capra and Martin Scorsese, advocated for Congress to enact a film preservation bill in order to avoid commercial modifications (such as pan and scan and editing for television) of classic films, which they saw as negative. In response to the controversy over the colorization of originally black and white films in the decade specifically, Representatives Robert J. Mrazek and Sidney R. Yates introduced the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which established the National Film Registry, its purpose, and the criteria for selecting films for preservation. The Act was passed and the NFR's mission was subsequently reauthorized by further acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, 2008 and 2016. The National Film Preservation Board's mission, to which the NFR contributes, is to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of America's film heritage. The 1996 law also created the non-profit National Film Preservation Foundation which, although affiliated with the NFPB, raises money from the private sector. Inductees are announced in the final quarter of the year, usually in mid-to-late December. The only year where this deadline was missed was 2025, due to the 2025 US federal government shutdown, with that year's selections being officially announced on January 29, 2026."2025 National Film Registry Announcement"
Selection criteria
The NFPB adds to the NFR up to 25 "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant films" each year in December, showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. A film becomes eligible for inclusion ten years after its original release. For the first selection in 1989, the public nominated almost 1,000 films for consideration. Members of the NFPB then developed individual ballots of possible films for inclusion. The ballots were tabulated into a list of 25 films that was then modified by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington and his staff at the Library for the final selection. Since 1997, members of the public have been able to nominate up to 50 films a year for the NFPB and Librarian to consider, with an August submission deadline.
The NFR, collaborating with other archives, studios, copyright holders and individuals,Oscars.org includes films ranging from Hollywood classics to orphan films.What Happens to Films Selected for Preservation by the Library of Congress?|Mental Floss A film is not required to be feature-length, nor is it required to have been theatrically released in the traditional sense. The Registry contains newsreels, silent films, student films, experimental films, short films, music videos, films out of copyright protection or in the public domain, film serials, home movies, documentaries, animation and independent films. As of the 2025 listing, there are 925 films in the Registry.
Films