Every year, the Library of Congress adds 25 films into the National Film Registry—which is to say, the library guarantees that these films, deemed to be “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant, will be preserved under the National Film Preservation Act. To date, there are 800 movies in the registry.

This year’s entrants include nine films directed by women and seven by filmmakers of color. Of the 2020 selection, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said, “With the inclusion of diverse filmmakers, we are not trying to set records but rather to set the record straight by spotlighting the astonishing contributions women and people of color have made to American cinema, despite facing often-overwhelming hurdles.”

This year’s list includes (in chronological order):

1. Suspense (1913)
2. Kid Auto Races at Venice (1914)
3. Bread (1918)
4. The Battle of the Century (1927)
5. With Cara and Camera Around the World (1929) - shots preserved by the Academy Film Archive
6. Cabin in the Sky (1943)*
7. Outrage (1950)
8. The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) - preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2005
9. Lilies of the Field (1963)**
10. A Clockwork Orange (1971)*
11. Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971)
12. Wattstax (1973)
13. Grease (1978)*
14. The Blues Brothers (1980)
15. Losing Ground (1982)
16. Illusions (1982)
17. The Joy Luck Club (1993)
18. The Devil Never Sleeps (1994)
19. Buena Vista Social Club (1999)*
20. The Ground (1993-2001)
21. Shrek (2001)**
22. Mauna Kea: Temple Under Siege (2006)
23. The Hurt Locker (2008)**
24. The Dark Knight (2008)**
25. Freedom Riders (2010)

* denotes Oscar nominee; ** denotes Oscar winner

How are films selected? First, they must be over 10 years old. The Librarian of Congress makes the selections after a series of discussions with the National Film Preservation Board and Library specialists. That’s all after about 5,500 titles are nominated by the public. You can submit your own nominations here.

Header image taken by Nate Christenson at the Academy Film Archive.