National Film Preservation Foundation

National Film Preservation Foundation
Name	National Film Preservation Foundation
Founded	1996
Location	San Francisco, California, United States
Key people	Annette Melville (Director)
Focus	Film preservation
Website	www.filmpreservation.org

National Film Preservation Foundation. It is a nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to save America's film heritage. Chartered in 1996, it supports activities nationwide to preserve films and make them accessible to the public. The foundation works with archives, libraries, and museums across the country to rescue historically significant motion pictures that are not preserved by commercial interests.

History and establishment

The organization was established as a direct result of the National Film Preservation Act of 1996, legislation passed by the United States Congress. This act was championed by the Library of Congress and built upon the work of the National Film Preservation Board. Key figures in the film community, including members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and archivists, advocated for its creation to address the urgent need to save deteriorating nitrate film and other fragile formats. Its establishment marked a significant federal commitment to preserving the nation's cinematic history beyond the holdings of major institutions like the Museum of Modern Art or the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

Mission and goals

The primary mission is to ensure the survival, conservation, and increased public availability of American film heritage. Its goals specifically focus on preserving films that are not protected by commercial studios, including avant-garde cinema, documentaries, silent era works, home movies, and independently produced features. A core objective is to partner with regional archives such as the George Eastman Museum and the Smithsonian Institution to identify and save culturally important films. The foundation also aims to make these preserved films accessible through screenings, DVD publications, and online platforms.

Key programs and initiatives

A flagship initiative is the **Federally Chartered Grants Program**, which provides preservation funding to institutions across the United States. The **Avant-Garde Masters** series, in partnership with L'Immagine Ritrovata film laboratory, restores seminal works by filmmakers like Stan Brakhage and Maya Deren. The **Treasures from American Film Archives** series releases curated collections on home video. Other significant programs include the **Magnetic Tape and Video Preservation Initiative** to address obsolete formats and the **Save America's Treasures** grants, often administered in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Humanities. It also supports the Orphan film symposium, dedicated to films without clear copyright holders.

Funding and support

Operations are funded through a combination of federal appropriations authorized by Congress, private donations, and foundation grants. Major support has come from entities like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Academy Foundation, and the Film Foundation. Corporate sponsors have included Technicolor and Kodak. Fundraising events often involve partnerships with festivals such as the Sundance Film Festival and the Telluride Film Festival. This blended funding model allows it to leverage federal seed money to attract significant private sector and philanthropic investment for preservation projects.

Impact and preserved works

The impact is demonstrated by the preservation of over 2,500 films and collections since its inception. Notable preserved works include the earliest films of Zora Neale Hurston, the complete surviving films of early African American cinema pioneer Oscar Micheaux, and industrial films by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. It has saved newsreels from the Spanish–American War, World War II training films, and experimental works from the San Francisco Art Institute. These films are now accessible at institutions like the Harvard Film Archive, the Museum of the Moving Image, and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Governance and organization

The board of directors includes film scholars, archivists, and industry professionals, with leadership historically provided by directors such as Annette Melville. It maintains a close working relationship with the National Film Preservation Board and the Packard Humanities Institute. The small staff, based in San Francisco, coordinates a national network of preservationists and partners with laboratories like Cineric and FotoKem. Advisory committees often include representatives from major archives, including the UCLA and the George Eastman Museum, to guide grant-making and preservation priorities.

Category:Film preservation Category:Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco Category:Organizations established in 1996