The National Film Registry (NFR) of America, announced on December 14, 2020 the list of 25 movies selected for preservation in the Library of Congress this year.
Established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, the National Film Registry is an archive of motion pictures chosen for their historic and cultural or aesthetic importance to the United States’ understanding of cinema. Its National Film Preservation Board works to ensure the survival, conservation and increased public availability of America’s film heritage.
Among the 25 movies that have been described by The Washington Post as films that mirror some of the sweeping social movements of recent years, is Wayne Wang’s acclaimed adaptation of Amy Tan’s 1989 novel ‘The Joy Luck Club’.
This is also the San Francisco based filmmaker’s second film to make it to the list after ‘Chan is Missing’ (1982) in 1995.
Tan also collaborated with Ronald Bass on the screenplay and was a producer on the popular 1993 film.
Tan’s bestseller that tells the saga of two generations of Asian American women is one of the most notable selections this year.
Among the 25 movies that have been described by The Washington Post as films that mirror some of the sweeping social movements of recent years, is Wayne Wang’s acclaimed adaptation of Amy Tan’s 1989 novel ‘The Joy Luck Club’.
According to the The Washington Post, as the cultural conversation evolved, it wasn’t until 2018, with the critical and commercial success of “Crazy Rich Asians’ that the profound influence of “The Joy Luck Club” was fully acknowledged.
In a report from the San Franciso Chronicle Datebook, Wang delightedly shared Tan’s reaction after hearing the news on Monday, “Amy was very happy,” Wang said. “She thought it was a great honor and was surprised.
The beloved novel about the complicated relationships between Chinese American women and their immigrant mothers, recently turned 30 years in 2019 and was celebrated with a milestone “special edition” novel by Penguin Random House.
The number of films that have been accorded the honor is now at 800, meanwhile there are 1.3 million films in the library’s collections.
For the registry’s 32nd year, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced the 25 movies selected for preservation below:
1. “Suspense” (1913)
2. “Kid Auto Races at Venice” (1914)
3. “Bread” (1918)
4. “The Battle of the Century” (1927)
5. “With Car and Camera Around the World” (1929)
6. “Cabin in the Sky” (1943)
7. “Outrage” (1950)
8. “The Man with the Golden Arm” (1955)
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)
