AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies is a 2006 ranking by the American Film Institute (AFI) of the 100 most inspirational films in the history of American cinema, highlighting movies that uplift audiences, foster empathy, and encourage positive societal impact.[1][2] The list, presented as a CBS television special on June 14, 2006, crowns It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as the top entry, followed by classics like To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and Schindler's List (1993).[1][3] As part of AFI's broader "100 Years...100" series commemorating a century of American filmmaking, the Cheers list was determined through a ballot-based poll of more than 1,500 film artists, critics, and historians, who selected from an initial pool of 300 nominated titles spanning from 1931's City Lights to 2004's Hotel Rwanda.[4][3][5] Voters evaluated films based on their inspirational qualities, including characters of vision and conviction who face adversity, often sacrificing for the greater good and inspiring hope in audiences.[1][3] The compilation reflects the subjective yet collective judgment of entertainment industry leaders, including directors, screenwriters, actors, and cinematographers, and has been praised for spotlighting uplifting narratives across genres like drama, sports, and family films.[3] Notable inclusions such as Rocky (1976) at #4 and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) at #6 underscore the list's focus on perseverance and human connection, while its release sparked discussions on the power of cinema to promote resilience and optimism.[1] The full list is available as a downloadable resource from AFI, continuing to influence film education and appreciation.[1]Background
Overview
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies is a list compiled by the American Film Institute (AFI) ranking the 100 most inspiring American feature films.[1] The list was announced during a CBS television special that aired on June 14, 2006.[1] The selection encompasses 100 narrative feature films spanning from 1931's City Lights to 2004's Hotel Rwanda, focusing on works that demonstrate significant U.S. creative and production involvement.[1] Produced as part of AFI's broader 100 Years... series, which began in 1998 to honor a century of American cinema, the project celebrates storytelling's power to uplift audiences.[1] At its core, the list highlights films that inspire hope, resilience, and positive change by portraying characters who confront adversity with conviction, often sacrificing for the greater good and leaving a lasting impact on viewers.[6] These movies emphasize human potential, optimism, and transformation, encouraging empathy and cultural progress through visual narratives.[6]Relation to AFI 100 Years series
The AFI 100 Years... series was initiated by the American Film Institute in 1998 to celebrate the first century of American cinema through a collection of curated lists highlighting various facets of film excellence and cultural impact.[7][8] The inaugural entry, AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, ranked the greatest American films and set the template for subsequent themed compilations, such as 100 Stars (1999), 100 Laughs (2000), 100 Thrills (2001), 100 Passions (2002), 100 Heroes & Villains (2003), and 100 Songs (2004).[9][10][11] These lists, often accompanied by CBS television specials, engaged audiences by spotlighting iconic elements of filmmaking beyond mere narrative or technical merit. AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers, released in 2006, represents one of the later installments in this series, coming after 100 Movie Quotes (2005) and 100 Years of Film Scores (2005), and shifting focus to films that inspire hope, uplift spirits, and motivate viewers rather than emphasizing genre-specific or artistic achievements like those in prior lists.[1][2] Unlike the foundational 100 Movies list, which prioritized overall cinematic greatness, or 100 Heroes & Villains, which explored character archetypes, 100 Cheers uniquely celebrated emotional resonance and positive influence on American culture.[12] This thematic evolution allowed the series to broaden its scope, incorporating public and expert input to reflect evolving perceptions of film's societal role. The series concluded with the 10th anniversary update to 100 Movies (2007) and the AFI's 10 Top 10 lists across ten genres (2008).[13] Throughout, the AFI 100 Years... series sought to foster appreciation for film preservation by sparking national conversations among industry leaders, scholars, and the public, ultimately compiling over a dozen lists that underscore cinema's enduring legacy.[4]Selection Process
Criteria for inspiration
The criteria for inclusion in AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers emphasized films that inspire audiences through narratives featuring characters with vision and conviction who confront adversity, often making personal sacrifices for the greater good, thereby evoking a sense of hope and possibility.[6] These movies were selected to highlight the uplifting power of American cinema, focusing on stories that empower human potential and leave a lasting motivational impact.[1] Key thematic elements included resilience in the face of hardship, moral courage in ethical dilemmas, triumph over personal or societal obstacles, and broader cultural resonance that promotes positive change through storytelling.[6] Unlike AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, which celebrated overall artistic excellence, or 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains, which centered on character archetypes, this list prioritized emotional uplift and inspirational influence on viewers.[1] Eligibility was restricted to feature-length narrative fiction films, typically over 60 minutes, produced as American works with significant creative and production elements in the United States and in the English language, released before January 1, 2005.[6] Documentaries and non-narrative formats were excluded to maintain focus on dramatic storytelling. The criteria were informed by a preliminary ballot of 300 nominated films, curated by film experts to guide jury selections.[1]Jury and voting procedure
The selection process for AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers involved a jury of over 1,500 leaders from the American film community, encompassing directors, screenwriters, actors, producers, editors, cinematographers, critics, historians, and scholars.[1][3] To initiate voting, the American Film Institute compiled and distributed a ballot of 300 pre-selected nominated films in November 2005, drawn from American cinema to represent potential sources of inspiration.[1][6] Jury members were tasked with ranking up to 100 films from this ballot according to their inspirational impact on audiences, with the goal of highlighting movies that motivate positive action or emotional uplift.[1][14] AFI then aggregated the rankings from all submitted ballots to compile the final list, producing a ranked top 100 that balanced inspirational narratives across genres such as dramas, biopics, and family-oriented stories.[1]Announcement
Broadcast details
The AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers list was publicly unveiled during a three-hour primetime special titled AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies, which premiered on the CBS Television Network on June 14, 2006.[15][3] The program aired from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, reaching a national audience in the United States as part of CBS's summer programming slate.[16] The special was co-produced by the American Film Institute (AFI) in association with CBS, aligning with AFI's established practice of collaborating with major broadcast networks for its anniversary list reveals, such as previous installments on CBS and NBC.[17] It featured archival footage from the selected films to illustrate the countdown, emphasizing the inspirational themes central to the selection criteria.[3] The timing of the broadcast followed the jury voting process completed earlier in 2006, allowing several months for production and promotion.[15] Promotion for the special began with AFI announcements in early 2006, including a press release on June 1 detailing the upcoming premiere and encouraging viewer engagement with the patriotic theme. Post-broadcast, the complete list became accessible online via the AFI website, enabling wider public review beyond the initial airing.[1] Repeats of the special were not immediately scheduled, but its availability through network archives supported ongoing access.[16]Event format and hosts
The television special unveiling AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers was structured as a three-hour countdown retrospective, broadcast on CBS on June 14, 2006, that progressively revealed the ranked list from #100 to #1 while celebrating inspirational American cinema.[3][18] This format interwove key segments featuring archival film clips from the selected movies, interviews with film artists, critics, and historians, and tributes emphasizing themes of hope, resilience, and human potential in the face of adversity.[3] Rather than a single host, the special employed an ensemble of prominent figures from the entertainment industry as presenters, including Jessica Alba, Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Danny DeVito, Kirk Douglas, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Ed Harris, Ron Howard, James Earl Jones, Ben Kingsley, William H. Macy, and Steven Spielberg, who introduced rankings and connected personally to the inspirational narratives through their own film legacies.[18] Guest appearances by actors and directors associated with the listed films, such as clips featuring stars like Julia Roberts in discussions of entries like Erin Brockovich (2000), added layers of commentary and homage to the movies' emotional impact.[18] Produced with a polished, cinematic flair reminiscent of a Hollywood gala, the event highlighted the AFI's jury process through expert insights and montages that underscored inspiration as a core element of storytelling, fostering an engaging, reflective atmosphere for viewers.[3] The special concluded with the reveal of It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as the top film, accompanied by tributes to its timeless portrayal of personal redemption and communal value.[1][3]The List
Top 10 films
The top 10 films from AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies represent the pinnacle of cinematic storytelling that uplifts through themes of resilience, moral courage, and human connection, selected by over 1,500 film artists, critics, and historians based on ballots emphasizing characters who demonstrate vision, conviction, and sacrifice amid adversity for the greater good.[1] These entries capture the essence of inspiration by illustrating personal triumphs and ethical stands that resonate with American values of hope and community.[1]- It's a Wonderful Life (1946, directed by Frank Capra): A beleaguered family man contemplating suicide receives a divine vision from his guardian angel revealing the profound positive influence he has exerted on his town, inspiring viewers to recognize the value of individual lives within a supportive community. This film earned the top spot for its enduring portrayal of redemption and collective goodwill.[1]
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, directed by Robert Mulligan): In the racially divided American South, a principled attorney defends an innocent Black man accused of a crime, imparting lessons in empathy, justice, and standing against prejudice to his young daughter and broader society. Its ranking reflects the film's powerful advocacy for moral integrity in the face of injustice.[1]
- Schindler's List (1993, directed by Steven Spielberg): During the Holocaust, a German industrialist evolves from opportunist to savior, risking everything to protect over a thousand Jewish lives through acts of quiet heroism and sacrifice. The movie's third-place position underscores its depiction of humanity's capacity for compassion amid unimaginable horror.[1]
- Rocky (1976, directed by John G. Avildsen): An underdog Philadelphia boxer from humble beginnings seizes a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the world heavyweight champion, embodying relentless perseverance and the pursuit of personal dreams against overwhelming odds. This entry symbolizes the inspirational archetype of the everyday hero's rise.[1]
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939, directed by Frank Capra): An idealistic novice senator, appointed as a placeholder, uncovers political corruption in the U.S. Congress and launches a solitary filibuster to defend democratic principles and the people's voice. Ranked fifth, it champions the power of unwavering belief in governmental reform and civic duty.[1]
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982, directed by Steven Spielberg): A lonely suburban boy forms an unbreakable bond with a stranded alien, embarking on a magical adventure of friendship, discovery, and protection that reignites a sense of wonder and empathy in a cynical world. Its placement highlights themes of innocent connection transcending isolation.[1]
- The Grapes of Wrath (1940, directed by John Ford): A Dust Bowl-era family displaced by economic hardship journeys westward in search of opportunity, facing exploitation yet clinging to dignity, solidarity, and hope for a better future. This adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel inspires through its unflinching portrayal of collective endurance.[1]
- Breaking Away (1979, directed by Peter Yates): In a small Indiana college town, four working-class friends challenge social barriers and personal doubts by competing in an elite bicycle race, pursuing aspirations with humor and determination. The film's mid-top-10 rank celebrates youthful ambition and breaking free from limitations.[1]
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947, directed by George Seaton): A kind-hearted department store employee insists he is the real Kris Kringle, leading to a courtroom battle that affirms faith, generosity, and the magic of holiday spirit in everyday life. It rounds out the top 10 by evoking joy and belief in benevolence.[1]
- Saving Private Ryan (1998, directed by Steven Spielberg): In the aftermath of the D-Day invasion, a squad of U.S. soldiers undertakes a perilous mission to locate and extract a single paratrooper from behind enemy lines, grappling with duty, loss, and the cost of brotherhood in war. Closing the top 10, it honors selfless heroism and the human toll of conflict.[1]