Professor Emerita Liane Brandon's film inducted to National Film Registry

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Professor Emerita Liane Brandon's film, Betty Tells Her Story, was inducted into the National Film Registry. It is one of 25 films selected this year by the Library of Congress deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and of "enduring importance to American culture”.

Made in 1972, Betty Tells Her Story is the poignant tale of beauty, identity and a dress—and is a classic of documentary filmmaking. It was the first independent film of the women’s movement to explore the issues of body image, self-worth and beauty in American society - and to explore the ways in which clothing and appearance affect a woman’s identity. It is the saga of Betty's search for "the perfect dress". She describes in delightful detail how she found just the right one, spent more than she could afford, felt absolutely transformed, and… never got to wear it. Then Betty tells her story again. This time, her feelings emerge and the story is strikingly different. The contrast between the two stories is haunting. Read more about Brandon's impact at UMass Amherst here.