ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The George Eastman Museum has been awarded a $65,000 grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation.

The grant will be used toward preserving three severely endangered nitrate feature films from the museum’s collection.

The prints of His Last Race (US 1923), Payroll Pirates (US 1920), and When Betty Bets (US 1917) are likely the only versions of the films that still exist. Due to severe nitrate decomposition in all three films, this is the last chance to save these unique prints.

The grant funds will be used for laboratory preservation work at Cinema Arts Laboratory in Newfoundland, PA, and at EastmanFilm Preservation Services in Rochester including digital scanning and creating a new 35mm negative, a 35mm print, and a DCP version of each film. Upon completion of the project, the films will be available in 35mm prints and digital copies for both research and public screenings through the museum.