NATIONAL FILM PRESERVATION FOUNDATION RECEIVES ANONYMOUS GIFT
Gift Celebrates the Contribution of American Archivists
Contact: Annette Melville, NFPF, 415-392-7291
Washington, D.C. (January 14, 1998)—The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) has just received an anonymous gift of $25,000, donated in the name of the Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), the professional group for archivists working in motion picture and television archives.
The NFPF was created by Congress in 1996 to raise private funds to help American archives preserve films and make them publicly available. It is the charitable affiliate of the Library of Congress's National Film Preservation Board. The Foundation concentrates on saving films not preserved by commercial interests.
This gift celebrates the support of AMIA for the new federally chartered foundation and the preservation work of its members.
"The history and culture of the 20th century has been captured in moving images," said AMIA president Linda Tadic. "AMIA's members are dedicated to preserving and making accessible materials that might otherwise be lost. Through this gift, the donor has recognized the key role of archivists in preserving our nation's film heritage."
In late November, the National Film Preservation Foundation kicked off a national fund-raising effort with the pledge of $250,000 from The Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences. The Foundation is not authorized to receive federal funds before October 1999, so support must first come from the private sector. It is now seeking matching funds for the AMIA gift.
AMIA advances the field of moving image archiving by fostering cooperation among individuals concerned with the collection, preservation, exhibition, and use of moving image materials. For more information on AMIA, visit the web site at www.amianet.org.
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