2026 prize for film

The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film is a $200,000 prize presented annually by the Library of Congress in partnership with The Better Angels Society. A $50,000 prize will also be awarded to one runner-up, and $25,000 will be awarded to each of four additional finalists. Prize for Film winners will be recognized by the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Robert Newlen, at a ceremony with Ken Burns on October 22, 2026 in New York.

General Guidelines:

The Prize for Film recognizes documentary films that focus on an American historical subject, issue, or person within a time frame occurring at least twenty years prior to submission and present a variety of perspectives grounded in extensive and thorough research. The majority of the film must be historically focused to qualify. We invite submissions employing broad types of storytelling devices and archival materials.