In 1995, to celebrate the centenary of cinema, UNESCO worked together with film archives from 49 countries to "compile and publish a list of approximately 15 films each country considers to be representative of its most significant national cinematic heritage." UNESCO suggested that they consider historical importance and cultural/artistic value, but each film archive was allowed to define its own criteria to determine which films were important.

The films of each country are listed in the order of the source-pdf. These countries are included. Angola, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Greece, The Holy See, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Macedonia, Ukraine, United States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia

These films or collections on the source-pdf are not included in this list, because they are not on IMDb: Canada: 
* A Selection of OMPB Films Produced between the two World Wars
* A Selection of Film Produced by the Government of Canada before the Creation of the National Film Board
* Royal Welcome, 8 unknown titles from the Canadian Cameo Series
* 4 unknown reels from "Shorts Produced at the London Headquarters of the Canadian Army during the last War"
* Animated Films of the National Film Board
Ecuador: 
* part of Obra Filmica Documental Miguel A. Alvarez (35 shorts are included so far)
* Obra Filmica Documental Karl Gartelman
Kazakhstan: 
* Two Days in Spring
* Baiterek


Afonso Malheiro in Quem Faz Correr Quim (1991)

Dario Argento and Françoise Lebrun in Vortex (2021)

Goldie Hawn and Warren Beatty in $ (1971)

A list of feature films from MIFF in year 2022.

The Australian film industry declined after World War II, coming to a virtual stop by the early 1960s. The Gorton (1968–71) and Whitlam Governments (1972–75) intervened and rescued the industry from its expected oblivion. The federal and several state governments established bodies to assist with the funding of film production and the training of film makers through the Australian Film Television and Radio School, which fostered a new generation of Australian filmmakers who were able to bring their visions to the screen.

The 1970s saw a huge renaissance of Australian film production which created nearly 400 films between 1970 and 1985, more than had been made in the history of the Australian film industry. When the 10BA tax concessions came into effect in the mid 1980s, the Australian film industry surged from the average 25 films being produced each year since 1970 to more than 50 films per year from 1986 onward.

In contrast to pre-1970 films, Australian New Wave films are often viewed as fresh and creative, possessing a vitality, beauty and love of Australia's natural landscapes. Australian New Wave films embraced the "straight-ahead narrative style" within common themes of racial and class differences in Australian society and a propensity for sudden violence and languorous sexuality.

Australian New Wave drama titles from my collection...

James Mason and Helen Mirren in Age of Consent (1969)

Australia has a rich history of film. These are the most notable movies to come out of my home country.

List source (http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001103/110379eo.pdf)

This list is also on iCheckMovies (http://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/unescos+memory+of+the+world+national+cinematic+heritage/).

Missing from IMDb:

Canada (these entries refer to multiple films and it's unclear exactly which films are included): A selection of OMPB films (1917-34) A selection of films produced by the government of Canada before the creation of the National Film Board (1923-41) Canadian Cameo Series (1932-54) Films by Maurice Proulx (1937-59) Animated films of the National Film Board (1941-44) Shorts produced at the London headquarters of the Canadian army during the last war (1941-45)

Ecuador (these entries refer to multiple films and it's unclear exactly which films are included): Obra Filmica Documental Miguel A. Alvarez (1927-35) Obra Filmica Documental Karl Gartelman (1970)

The Holy See (it's unclear exactly which film this refers to): Leone XIII (1896)

Kazakhstan (the original titles are unknown): Two Days in Spring (1983) Songs of Orynbasar (1983) Miracle Land (1989) Baiterek (1990)

UNESCO's Memory of the World: National Cinematic Heritage

Lists Related to Two Thousand Weeks

More to explore

Recently viewed