The Race to Save 100 Years

As the documentary points out, 85 percent of all silent pictures are gone forever because of neglect, abuse, and improper storage of original prints. This film stresses the importance of saving these and more recent films as cultural documents that have become part of our shared history. It also takes the viewer through the painstaking process of film restoration, and highlights some of the organizations and individuals who are spear-heading this movement.

Directed by Scott Benson, The Race to Save 100 Years leans on a strong ensemble — Peter Brooks, Martin Scorsese, Ted Turner — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1997.