Library of Congress: talks and concerts
6,433–6,480 of 7,413 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.
Where these films come from, and who sees what
Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.
Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Sexual content and nudity are left out altogether.
| Little Ones | Films for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool. |
|---|---|
| Kids | Cartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature. |
| Tweens | Documentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures. |
| Teens | Everything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower. |
| Adult | Sexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, atrocity footage. |
Library of Congress
An Evening with Kevin Kwan
Internationally bestselling author Kevin Kwan talks about his forthcoming book “Lies and Weddings,” a novel about a forbidden affair that erupts amid a…
Library of Congress
Library of Congress Chorale: Reel Music
The Library of Congress Chorale performs choral music from films, from “Amadeus” to “Amistad” to “Hunt for Red October” to “Star Wars.”
Library of Congress
Istiwanāt Live Arabic Music Ensemble
Istiwanāt Live! Arabic Music Ensemble reinterprets music that was originally performed 100 years ago for a transnational industry of Arab, Arab American and…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Istiwanāt Live Arabic Music Ensemble
John Fenn sits down with Anne K. Rasmussen, Jared Holton, Albert Agha and Anne Elise Thomas of Istiwanāt Live! Arabic Music Ensemble. The group reinterprets…
Library of Congress
Librarian of Congress Kicks Off 2nd NLS Summer Reading Program
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden kicks off the second NLS Summer Reading Program with a reading of “The Adventures of Marshmallow and Peter” written by…
Library of Congress
Conversation with the Pacifica Quartet
Members of the Pacifica Quartet speak with Carol Lynn Ward Bamford and David Plylar about their program. Topics include the music of George Walker, Charles…
Library of Congress
Stradivari Anniversary: Pacifica Quartet
The mighty Pacifica Quartet celebrated the Library’s Stradivari Anniversary with a pair of concerts designed to give more listeners a chance to hear our…
Library of Congress
2024 National Film Registry Announcement
The Librarian of Congress announces the annual selection of 25 inductees for the National Film Registry for 2024. The oldest film is a 1895 silent short…
Library of Congress
17th Annual Mongolian Studies Conference Keynote
This year’s keynote was be given by Simon Wickhamsmith of Rutgers University delivered the keynote to the 17th annual Mongolian Studies Conference on the…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Julius Rodriguez
Claudia Morales sits down with multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Julius Rodriguez to discuss his musical journey and reflect on the music…
Library of Congress
The Monlam Grand Tibetan Dictionary: Modern Technology for Ancient Wisdom
Geshe Monlam talks about his Monlam Grand Tibetan Dictionary, which he recently donated to the Library. At its core, the Monlam Grand Tibetan Dictionary…
Library of Congress
Meg Medina: Closing Celebration for the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Meg Medina closed her tenure as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by celebrating her video program, “Cuéntame! Let’s Talk…
Library of Congress
Library of Congress Chorale: Higher Ground
The Library of Congress Chorale performed its 51st annual winter concert, celebrating uplifting spirits and unity as inspired by Stevie Wonder’s “Higher…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Cece Bell
Meg’s guest in this next installment is also an artist and musician–not to mention delightfully silly! You’ll have a great time hearing from cartoonist and…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Gene Luen Yang
What happens when you put two National Ambassadors for Young People’s Literature together? Pure joy and overflowing love for books, of course! Gene Luen Yang…
Library of Congress
Scientific Collaborations Between the US and New Zealand
In 1874, when Venus transited across the sun for the first time since 1769, several nations arranged expeditions to witness the rare astronomical event. More…
Library of Congress
Chief Librarians in Conversation
Sir Roly Keating (chief executive of the British Library) and Carla Hayden (Librarian of Congress) talk with author, journalist and educator Jesse J. Holland…
Library of Congress
Conversation on the Battle of Ayacucho
Scholars Erick Langer, Marie Arana and Natalia Sobrevilla led a panel discussion on the significance of the Battle of Ayacucho, a key battle in Peruvian…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Experiential Orchestra and Curtis Stewart
Leaders of the Experiential Orchestra — including conductor James Blachly, director of artistic planning Pauline Kim Harris and concertmaster Henry Wang —…
Library of Congress
Morton Subotnick and the Buchla 100
Composer and electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick offers some background and insights into his work with the famed Buchla 100, which he used to create…
Library of Congress
2024 Bobbitt Prize Winner Arthur Sze
Arthur Sze, winner of the 2024 Rebekah Bobbitt Johnson National Prize for Poetry for Lifetime Achievement, reads some of his poems with details about his…
Library of Congress
Recovering the Extraordinary Life and Songs of Carrie Jacobs-Bond
Christopher Reynolds, distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California discussed Davis Carrie Jacobs-Bond (1861-1946), one of the most…
Library of Congress
Transcribe Library of Congress Digital Collections with By the People
Are you looking for a way to get involved with the largest library in the world? Volunteer with the By the People crowdsourced transcription program at the…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Tyshawn Sorey Trio and Sandbox Percussion
Composer and percussionist Tyshawn Sorey of the Tyshawn Sorey Trio and Ian Rosenbaum of Sandbox Percussion speak with the Library’s Mike Turpin and David…
Library of Congress
From Paper to Pixels: The Evolution of Ocean Mapping and Exploration
Vicki Ferrini, a senior research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University, traces the history of ocean mapping, highlighting…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Lamar Giles
From his fourth grade story “Giant Dinosaur Inside” to young-adult horror book “The Getaway,” Lamar Giles has long been writing books for kids of all ages and…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Sabaa Tahir
Bestselling fantasy author Sabaa Tahir joins Meg to talk about why fantasy appealed to her as a teen and why it keeps her wanting to read forever. She…
Library of Congress
Teen Eighngst: Early String Octet Powerhouses by Mendelssohn and Enescu
The Library’s David Plylar speaks about two remarkable works created by young composers. Felix Mendelssohn and George Enescu both composed their string octets…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Amarcord
Singers Daniel Knauft and Wolfram Lattke of the vocal ensemble amarcord speak with the Library’s David Plylar about their performance at the Library of…
Library of Congress
Amarcord
The five voices of amarcord take us on a journey half a millennium in the making. The quintet was founded over 30 years ago by graduates of the famed…
Library of Congress
Leslie Odom Jr. in Conversation with Ken Biberaj
Tony and Grammy award-winner Leslie Odom Jr. joined host Ken Biberaj for a live taping of “Coffee with Ken,” presented by the Library of Congress, CAA and…
Library of Congress
How Historical Moments Influenced the Modern US Congress
Political scientists Breanna C. Gray of the University of Maryland and Sarah Binder of George Washington University discuss the evolution of the U.S.…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Hiromi Uehara
Renowned Japanese jazz pianist, composer and bandleader Hiromi Uehara talks with the Library’s Claudia Morales about her musical journey. They delve into her…
Library of Congress
Luís de Camões at the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress commemorates the birth of Luís de Camões, whose profound influence on world literature has earned him the title of Portugal’s national…
Library of Congress
Musician’s Workshop and Performance with Yogev Shetrit
An engaging workshop and performance by internationally renowned composer and drummer Yogev Shitrit. His music features original compositions that seamlessly…
Library of Congress
2024 Library of Congress Literacy Award Honorees
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards honor nonprofit organizations that have made outstanding contributions to increasing literacy in the United States or…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Ellen Oh
Ellen Oh wears many hats: as a writer of middle grade books (“Spirit Hunters,” “You Are Here”), an editor of anthologies (“Flying Lessons”), a CEO and…
Library of Congress
Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books with Traci Sorell
Traci Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is an author of many books celebrating Native American culture. These include picture books like “Powwow Day”…
Library of Congress
2024 Literacy Awards Successful Practices Event
The Library of Congress Literacy Awards 2024 Successful Practices Conference honors the four 2024 winners of the Library’s Literacy Award Program, the 2024…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Emi Ferguson and Ruckus
Flutist Emi Ferguson and members of Ruckus speak with Anne McLean and Carol Lynn Ward Bamford about their performance at the Library of Congress. Performing…
Library of Congress
Emi Ferguson and Ruckus
Flutist Emi Ferguson and ensemble Ruckus performed at the annual Founder’s Day concert on October 30, 2024. Ferguson and the ensemble adapted works by…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Léo Marillier of Quatuor Diotima
Léo Marillier, second violinist with the Quatuor Diotima, joined the Library’s David Plylar for a discussion about Diotima’s programs at the Library. Capping…
Library of Congress
Quatuor Diotima: Schoenberg at 150 Program II
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schoenberg’s birth, we surveyed many of his works for string quartet held in manuscript at the Library of…
Library of Congress
Harvey Sachs on Arnold Schoenberg
Harvey Sachs, author of “Schoenberg: Why He Matters,” speaks about his book and the public reception of Arnold Schoenberg in modern times. His talk preceded…
Library of Congress
Quatuor Diotima: Schoenberg at 150 Program I.
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Arnold Schoenberg’s birth, we surveyed many of his works for string quartet held in manuscript at the Library of…
Library of Congress
Conversation with Eddie Palmieri
Claudia Morales talks with 10-time Grammy winner, NEA Jazz Master, “El Sonero Mayor,” American pianist, composer, arranger, band leader and social activist,…
Library of Congress
The Voice of Words: A Conversation with Claudio Pozzani
Internationally acclaimed poet Claudio Pozzani is featured in an engaging conversation and poetry performance. Pozzani is known for his enthralling poetic…
Library of Congress
Cartooning America’: Post-Screening Conversation
Following a screening of his documentary “Cartooning America,” director Asaf Galay, winner of the 2024 Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for the…