'Bamboozled,' 'Love & Basketball,' '12 Years a Slave' Among 25 Titles Joining National Film Registry

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Twenty-five influential films have been selected for the 2023 Library of Congress National Film Registry, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced recently. 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.”

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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 Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “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 2 million moving image collection items held in the Library. Others are preserved by the copyright holders or other film archives. 

“Films are an integral piece of America’s cultural heritage, reflecting stories of our nation for more than 125 years. We are proud to add 25 diverse films to the National Film Registry as we preserve our history through film,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “We’re grateful to the film community for collaborating with the Library of Congress in our goal to preserve the heritage of cinema for generations to come.”

Films Selected for the 2023 National Film Registry

(chronological order)

• 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)