CULPEPER, VA — A total of 25 influential films have been selected for the 2023 Library of Congress National Film Registry (loc.gov/avconservation). The films are selected each year for their cultural, historic or aesthetic importance to preserve the nation’s film heritage.
The newest selections include a diverse group of films, filmmakers and Hollywood landmarks exploring the drama of history, social justice and reform, the experiences of immigrants and more. This year’s selections date back more than 100 years to a 1921 Kodak educational film titled A Movie Trip Through Filmland about how film stock is produced and the impact of movies globally. The most recent films added to the registry are 2013’s Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave, and the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom.
Some Hollywood releases selected this year include the space drama Apollo 13, the holiday classic Home Alone, Disney’s 1955 beloved animation Lady and the Tramp, the sci-fi sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and the Halloween and holiday favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas. Plus, there’s the selection of Love & Basketball, which has grown new audiences over the years as an inspiring classic love story.
The selections bring the number of films in the registry to 875. Some of these films are among the two million moving image collection items held in the Library. Others are preserved by the copyright holders or other film archives.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will host a television special Thursday, December 14th, starting at 8pm (EST) to screen a selection of films named to the registry this year. The following is a complete list of this year’s selections:
A Movie Trip Through Filmland (1921)
Dinner at Eight (1933)
Bohulano Family Film Collection (1950s-1970s)
Helen Keller: In Her Story (1954)
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Edge of the City (1957)
We’re Alive (1974)
Cruisin' J-Town (1975)
¡Alambrista! (1977)
Passing Through (1977)
Fame (1980)
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
The Lighted Field (1987)
Matewan (1987)
Home Alone (1990)
Queen of Diamonds (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Wedding Banquet (1993)
Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision (1994)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Bamboozled (2000)
Love & Basketball (2000)
12 Years a Slave (2013)
20 Feet from Stardom (2013)