National Film Preservation Foundation

National Film Preservation Foundation. The National Film Preservation Foundation is a US-based organization dedicated to preserving American cinema. Founded in 1996 by Congress, the organization works closely with Library of Congress, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and Film Society of Lincoln Center to preserve and make accessible classic films by D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, and Orson Welles. The foundation's efforts have been supported by National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services.

● History

The National Film Preservation Foundation was established by Congress in 1996 as a non-profit organization to preserve and make accessible American cinema, including works by John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, and Billy Wilder. The foundation's history is closely tied to the National Film Registry, a list of culturally significant films selected by Library of Congress, which includes Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The foundation has worked with American Film Institute, Motion Picture Association of America, and Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers to develop film preservation standards and best practices. The foundation's early efforts were influenced by the work of film archivists such as Henri Langlois and Ernst Lindgren, who worked at Cinémathèque Française and British Film Institute.

● Mission and Activities

The National Film Preservation Foundation's mission is to preserve and make accessible American cinema, including silent films by Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, as well as classic films by Hollywood studios such as Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and Universal Pictures. The foundation works with film archives such as UCLA Film and Television Archive, Museum of Modern Art, and George Eastman Museum to identify and preserve culturally significant films, including those directed by Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, and Francis Ford Coppola. The foundation also collaborates with film festivals such as Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival to showcase preserved films and promote film preservation awareness. Additionally, the foundation has worked with National Archives and Records Administration and Smithsonian Institution to preserve and make accessible historical films and documentaries.

● Film Preservation Grants

The National Film Preservation Foundation provides film preservation grants to film archives and cultural institutions to support the preservation of culturally significant films, including those by African American filmmakers such as Oscar Micheaux and Spencer Williams. The foundation has provided grants to Library of Congress, Academy Film Archive, and Museum of Modern Art to preserve films such as The Gold Rush and The Philadelphia Story. The foundation's grants have also supported the preservation of experimental films by Stan Brakhage and Andy Warhol, as well as documentaries by Errol Morris and Frederick Wiseman. The foundation's grant program is supported by National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services.

● The National Film Registry

The National Film Registry is a list of culturally significant films selected by Library of Congress for preservation, including It's a Wonderful Life, Singin' in the Rain, and The Wizard of Oz. The registry was established by Congress in 1988 and is administered by Library of Congress, with input from National Film Preservation Foundation, American Film Institute, and Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The registry includes films by John Huston, Elia Kazan, and David Lean, as well as classic films from Hollywood's Golden Age, such as Gone with the Wind and Rebel Without a Cause. The registry has also recognized the work of independent filmmakers such as John Cassavetes and Shirley Clarke.

● Collaborations and Partnerships

The National Film Preservation Foundation collaborates with film archives and cultural institutions to preserve and make accessible culturally significant films, including British Film Institute, Cinémathèque Française, and Deutsche Kinemathek. The foundation has partnered with Google Arts & Culture and YouTube to make preserved films available online, including films by Fritz Lang and Jean-Luc Godard. The foundation has also worked with film festivals such as Telluride Film Festival and New York Film Festival to showcase preserved films and promote film preservation awareness. Additionally, the foundation has collaborated with National Archives and Records Administration and Smithsonian Institution to preserve and make accessible historical films and documentaries.

● Notable Preservation Efforts

The National Film Preservation Foundation has undertaken several notable film preservation efforts, including the preservation of Metropolis and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, as well as the restoration of The Red Shoes and The 400 Blows. The foundation has also preserved films by African American filmmakers such as Oscar Micheaux and Spencer Williams, as well as experimental films by Stan Brakhage and Andy Warhol. The foundation's preservation efforts have been recognized by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Film Society of Lincoln Center, and National Society of Film Critics, and have been supported by National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services. The foundation's work has also been influenced by the Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival. Category:Film preservation