Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" selected as a "National Treasure Film" by the Library of Congress

Qian Meizhen Comprehensive report

The Library of Congress released the list of the 30th National Film Registry on December 12, and Chinese director Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" was officially selected, the only film released after the millennium among the shortlisted films this year.

According to the Library of Congress, 25 films that have an impact on the United States each year will be introduced into the Collection of "National Treasure Films" of the Library of Congress because of their cultural, historical and aesthetic importance to the United States.

This year, the 30th edition of The National Treasure Films, the Museum honors and preserves these films as a medium for documenting American history, culture, hopes and dreams.

Different materials such as forbidden romances, classic animations, and extinct dinosaurs represent the diversity of the films shortlisted in 2018. The first release years spanning 107 years, from 1898 to 2005, include blockbusters, documentaries, cartoons, silent films and independent films.

With the addition of the 2018 selections, the museum's "National Treasure Films" collection totals 750 films, which is only a fraction of the museum's 1.3 million large-scale moving image collection.

Among the films selected this year, the most high-profile one was the release of "Brokeback Mountain" directed by Ang Lee in 2005. The film was selected as a "national treasure film" list, and also refreshed the record of "youngest film" in the list.

Because the film selected as a "National Treasure Film" must be at least a film that has been released for more than 10 years. Brokeback Mountain, which had only been released for 13 years this year, was selected as the youngest film in the "National Treasure Films", and the "oldest film" in the film list was still "Newark Athlete" released in 1891.

A press release from the Library of Congress listed Ang Lee's response. Ang Lee said he did not intend to make a statement on the matter. He just wanted to describe the love story between the two cowboys purely, and to his surprise, the film resonated deeply with the audience.

The list of 25 films shortlisted this year and the release year are as follows: (in alphabetical order)

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Broadcast News (1987)

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Cinderella (1950)

Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

Dixon-Wanamaker Expedition to Crow Agency (1908)

Eve's Bayou (1997)

The Girl Without a Soul (1917)

Hair Piece: A Film for Nappy-Headed People (1984)

Hearts and Minds (1974)

Hud (1963)

The Informer (1935)

Jurassic Park (1993)

The Lady From Shanghai (1947)

《狂恋》(Leave Her to Heaven)(1945)

Monterey Pop (1968)

My Fair Lady (1964)

The Navigator (1924)

On the Town (1949)

One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

Pickup on South Street (1953)

Butterfly Dreams (Rebecca) (1940)

The Shining (1980)

Smoke Signals (1998)

Something Good—Negro Kiss (1898)