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Projections of America (Film Screening)
  • Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 - Thursday, October 15, 2015
  • Time: 11:00 pm
  • Location: William G. McGowan Theater, Washington, DC

During the darkest hour of World War II, a team of idealistic U.S. Government filmmakers hoped the power of the movies could reshape the world. As Allied forces liberated Western Europe, the propaganda effort that accompanied the military campaign centered on 26 short documentaries about American life targeted at the newly liberated populations. The “Projections of America” films presented stories of cowboys and oilmen, farmers and window washers, immigrants and school children—capturing both the optimism and the contradictions of American democracy.

More than a documentary about filmmaking, Projections of America (2014; 52 minutes) is a story about the audacity of trying to build a better world in the midst of the most devastating conflict in human history. The screening will be followed by a discussion featuring filmmakers Peter Miller and Antje Boehmert; and Victoria Riskin, daughter of writer Robert Riskin and actress Fay Wray.

Reserve a seat

All public programs at the National Archives are free. Reservations are recommended; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors to the building will open 45 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW. Click here for more information on getting to the National Archives and parking.Live captioning will be available online and in the William G. McGowan Theater. If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for an event (such as a downloadable transcript or a sign language interpreter), please send an email to public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 in advance.