WASHINGTON — “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Dirty Harry” and “A League of Their Own” will be preserved for their enduring significance in American culture by the US Library of Congress, along with “A Christmas Story” and some pioneering sports movies.



They are among 25 selections the library is inducting Wednesday into the National Film Registry. Congress created the program in 1989 to preserve films for their cultural or historical significance.



The latest additions bring the registry to 600 films that include Hollywood features, documentaries, independent films and early experimental flicks.



The newest film chosen for preservation is 1999’s “The Matrix,” noted for its state-of-the-art special effects and computer-generated animation with a style that drew on Hong Kong action films and Japanese anime to change science fiction filmmaking, curators noted.



The Librarian of Congress makes the selections each year after conferring with members of the National Film Preservation Board and receiving public nominations. To be considered, the films must be at least 10 years old.



“These films are not selected as the ‘best’ American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture,” said Librarian of Congress James Billington in announcing the selections. “They reflect who we are as a people and as a nation.”



They also include some unforgettable characters. Audrey Hepburn landed the lead in 1961’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” even though writer Truman Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe for the part. Film critics and the audience decided Capote was wrong and hailed Hepburn’s portrayal. — AP