SINCE 1909, THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW HAS DEDICATED ITS EFFORTS TO THE SUPPORT OF CINEMA AS BOTH ART AND ENTERTAINMENT. EACH YEAR, THIS SELECT GROUP OF FILM ENTHUSIASTS, FILMMAKERS, PROFESSIONALS AND ACADEMICS OF VARYING AGES AND BACKGROUNDS WATCHES OVER 250 FILMS AND PARTICIPATES IN ILLUMINATING DISCUSSIONS WITH DIRECTORS, ACTORS, PRODUCERS AND SCREENWRITERS BEFORE ANNOUNCING THEIR SELECTIONS FOR THE BEST WORK OF THE YEAR IN EARLY DECEMBER PRIOR TO AN ANNUAL CEREMONY IN JANUARY. SINCE FIRST CITING YEAR-END CINEMATIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN 1929, NBR HAS RECOGNIZED A VAST SELECTION OF OUTSTANDING STUDIO, INDEPENDENT, FOREIGN-LANGUAGE, ANIMATED AND DOCUMENTARY FILMS, OFTEN PROPELLING RECIPIENTS SUCH AS GEORGE MILLER'S VISIONARY 2015 BEST FILM WINNER MAD MAX: FURY ROAD INTO THE LARGER AWARDS CONVERSATION. NBR ALSO STANDS OUT AS THE ONLY FILM ORGANIZATION THAT BESTOWS A FILM HISTORY AWARD IN HONOR OF FORMER MEMBER AND FILM HISTORIAN WILLIAM K. EVERSON.