John Eldredge

Louis Jean Heydt

Harold Vermilyea

Lane Chandler

Will Wright

A description and enactment of the discovery of gold by James Marshall, and the role played by John Sutter.  Preserved by the Academy Film Archive.

Primary is a documentary film about the primary elections between John F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey in 1960. Primary is the first documentary to use light equipment in order to follow their subjects in a more intimate filmmaking style. This unconventional way of filming created a new look for documentary films where the camera’s lens was right in the middle of what ever drama was occurring.  Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with The Film Foundation in 1998.

Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.

Documentary short explaining proper techniques for handling and disposal of incendiary bombs.  Preserved by the Academy Film Archive, from the Academy War Film Collection, in 2009.

Short documentary extolling the virtues and necessity for women to participate in America's preparation for war, showing women working in scientific, industrial, and voluntary-services activities.  Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2008.

A feature-length documentary that captures the passion of famous hashishin, Frenchy Cannoli, and his pursuit of quality hashish within the context of a changing legal landscape in California's cannabis industry.

One filmmaker's exploration of natural light in California and its influence on people's lives.

A series of static shots of the buildings of the California Mission system, as they existed in 1907. Because many of the Mission buildings were in poor states of repair in 1907, director Norman Dawn uses glass shots, a technique where paintings are applied to a sheet of glass placed between the camera and the objects being photographed, in order to restore roofs and walls that had been destroyed.

This 10-minute short documentary exploring the shifting state of the American poultry industry was preserved in 2015 from an original nitrate print. More information is available on the film's page in the National Film Preservation Foundation's website, where this version can be found featuring original music by Michael D. Mortilla.