The Better Angels Society

There are presently no open calls for submissions.

The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film is a $200,000 cash prize presented annually by the Library of Congress in partnership with The Better Angels Society. It 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 that presents a variety of perspectives grounded in extensive and thorough research. A $50,000 cash prize will also be awarded to one runner-up, and $25,000 will be awarded to each of four additional finalists. Applicants will be notified of their status on or before September 1, 2024. Prize for Film winners will be recognized by the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden, at a ceremony with Ken Burns on September 17, 2024, at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.


Contact Us: 

  • For technical questions only, please contact Submittable Customer Support at submittable.com/help/submitter.
  • For general submission questions, please contact:  submissions@betterangelssociety.org


To see information on previous winners and finalists, please click here.


The Better Angels Society