Free Pre-Screenings of 85th Academy Award® Nominees at the National Archives
The National Archives will host free screenings of the 85th Academy Award® nominees in four categories - Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film - in its William G. McGowan Theater from Wednesday, February 20, through Sunday, February 24, 2013. This year marks the ninth consecutive year these screenings have been hosted by the National Archives.
Seating for all screenings will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.and subject to availability. See the full schedule of screenings
What are your Oscar picks?
There’s just 3 days left of our special screening of the 84th Academy Award nominees!
The tickets are free, the lines are long, and the seats are limited, so we are holding a random drawing for 2 reserved tickets to our most popular program, the Animated Short Film Nominees. The screening is Saturday, February 25, at 3:30 p.m. at the National Archives in Washington, DC.
Tweet the name of your favorite 1930s movie star to @archivesnews for a chance to win reserved tickets!
We’ll pull the name of our digital hat at 3 p.m. today.
And remember, there’s only 38 days left until the release of the 1940 Census!
The National Archives hosts the eighth annual free screenings of the Academy Award® nominees in four categories—Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film.
Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are accepted. Free tickets are distributed at the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue, 60 minutes prior to start time. You must be present to receive a ticket. Theater doors open 30 minutes prior to start time. The saving of seats is strictly prohibited. Please note that some films may not be appropriate for general audiences.
Screening schedule (subject to availability)
Documentary Feature Nominees
Wednesday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.
Hell and Back Again
Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
(88 minutes; unrated)Thursday, February 23, 7:00 p.m.
Undefeated
TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Rich Middlemas
(113 minutes; unrated)Friday, February 24, 7:00 p.m.
Live Action Short Film Nominees (100 minutes)Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will be unable to present the Documentary Feature Nominee PINA on Friday, Feb. 24 at 7pm. We will instead present an additional screening of the Live Action Short Film Nominees (100 minutes). We apologize for any inconvenience.
Saturday, February 25, 7:00 p.m.
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
(105 minutes; unrated)Sunday, February 26, 4:00 p.m.
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
(85 minutes; unrated)Live Action Short Film Nominees
Saturday, February 25, noon.
Pentecost
Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane
(11 minutes; unrated)Raju
Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
(24 minutes; unrated)The Shore
Terry George and Oorlagh George
(30 minutes; unrated)Time Freak
Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
(10 minutes; unrated)Tuba Atlantic
Hallvar Witzø
(25 minutes; unrated)Total Running time: 100 minutes.
Animated Short Film Nominees
Saturday, February 25, 3:30 p.m.
Dimanche/Sunday
Patrick Doyon
9 minutes; unrated)The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
(15 minutes; unrated)La Luna
Enrico Casarosa
(7 minutes; rated G)A Morning Stroll
Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
(7 minutes; unrated)Wild Life
Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
(14 minutes; unrated)Total Running Time: 52 minutes.
Documentary Short Subject Nominees
Sunday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
(25 minutes; unrated)God Is the Bigger Elvis
Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
(37 minutes; unrated)Incident in New Baghdad
James Spione
(22 minutes; unrated)Saving Face
Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
(40 minutes; unrated)The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen
(40 minutes; unrated)Total Running Time: 164 minutes
The screenings are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in partnership with the Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film and the Foundation for the National Archives. Image of Oscar statue courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.


