The Better Angels Society and the Library of Congress Announce Honorary Committee for Fourth Annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film
Washington, DC – April 12, 2022 – The Better Angels Society, the Library of Congress, and the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation today announced this year’s Honorary Committee for the fourth annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, which recognizes exemplary accomplishment in historical documentaries.
The Honorary Committee is a distinguished group of leaders drawn from all corners of the media and cultural landscape, united by a common interest in supporting work that highlights our country’s history through documentary film. The members of the Honorary Committee each have unique spheres of influence that help spread the mission of the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, making them a vital part of the Prize community.
The Lavine Prize Honorary Committee includes Patricia de Stacy Harrison, Richard Blanco, Patricia Cardoso, Ron Chernow, Christopher John Farley, Claudrena Harold, Michiko Kakutani, Paula Kerger, Sharon Rockefeller, Wynton Marsalis, Soledad O’Brien, and Luis Antonio Ubiñas. The members of the 2022 Honorary Committee represent a varied cross-section of our nation’s culture, including the written word, music, film, historiography, and news media.
“We are hugely grateful to The Better Angels Society, the Library of Congress and Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine for the work they are doing to support filmmakers who are exploring the complexities and richness of our country’s history,” said Ken Burns. “History provides us greater insight into the challenges we face today, as well as access to stories that illuminate who we are as a people. We are so appreciative of the work the honorary committee is doing to support this prize.”
“I’m so grateful to Ken Burns, the Lavines, the Better Angels Society and our distinguished 2022 Honorary Committee for all they are doing to find and support the best new American documentary filmmakers,” said Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress. “Championing the work of these emerging talents benefits us all by helping them more fully tell the story of this great nation for today’s audiences and for posterity.”
“We’re thankful to the members of this year’s Honorary Committee for supporting the Lavine Prize,” said Courtney Chapin, Executive Director of The Better Angels Society. “These leaders are integral parts of The Better Angels Society community, and we’re grateful for their support in honoring American history through documentary film.”
The members of the Honorary Committee support the importance of history documentary filmmaking to American cultural life, and lend their names and their profiles to promoting general awareness about the documentaries selected through the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film.
Earlier this year, The Better Angels Society and Library of Congress announced that entries are being accepted for the fourth annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. To be eligible for the award, films must be submitted by June 1, 2022 and meet several criteria, most notably films must be late-stage documentaries with a running time of 50 minutes or longer focused on American history. For more information about the submission guidelines, visit www.thebetterangelssociety.org.
