June 12, 2018 Library to Host 2nd Annual Outdoor Summer Film Festival on Capitol Hill

The Library of Congress will host the second annual “LOC Summer Movies on the Lawn” outdoor film festival this summer. The six-film series—which will showcase iconic films from the Library’s National Film Registry—will be presented on Thursday evenings at sundown from July 12 through Aug. 16 on the north lawn of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, across the street from the U.S. Capitol.

Tickets for the screenings are now available, but not required, on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information and to secure tickets, visit the event-ticketing site at the links below. Entry is not guaranteed.

“The National Film Registry is full of wonderful feature-length films and this is your chance to see them again- or for the first time- on the big screen. We’re excited to be able to share this part of the Library’s collection with you all summer long,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.“Grab a blanket and some popcorn and come join us on the lawn!”

The series starts with quintessential baseball Americana movie “Field of Dreams,” which was added to the National Film Registry last year, and ends with the iconic musical “Wizard of Oz,” which was added to the registry in its inaugural year of 1989. The scheduled films include:

• July 12: “Field of Dreams” (2017 National Film Registry)
  Tickets: https://fieldofdreamsloc.eventbrite.com
• July 19: “The Goonies”(2017 National Film Registry)
  Tickets: https://thegooniesloc.eventbrite.com
  
• July 26: “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”(1994 National Film Registry)
  Tickets: https://etloc.eventbrite.com
  
• Aug. 2: “Back to the Future”(2007 National Film Registry)
  Tickets:https://backtothefutureloc.eventbrite.com
  
• Aug. 9: “Superman” (1978) (2017 National Film Registry)
  Tickets: https://superman1978loc.eventbrite.com
  
• Aug. 16: “The Wizard of Oz”(1989 National Film Registry)
  Tickets: https://thewizardofozloc.eventbrite.com

Located between the Supreme Court and the Jefferson Building, 10 First St., SE (running the length of East Capitol Street between First and Second streets, SE), the north lawn of the Jefferson Building provides a magnificent space for people to watch in the shadows of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names to the National Film Registry 25 motion pictures that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant, showcasing the range and diversity of America’s film heritage to encourage support for its preservation. The films must be at least 10 years old. The Librarian makes the annual registry selections after conferring with members of the National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) and a cadre of Library specialists. Thousands of public nominations are also considered.  More information about the National Film Registry can be found at loc.gov/film/.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.