 The American Film Institute ( AFI ) , an independent non @-@ profit organization created in the United States by the National Endowment for the Arts , releases a variety of annual awards and film lists recognizing excellence in film making . The AFI 100 Years ... series , which ran from 1998 to 2008 , created categorized lists of America 's best movies as selected by juries composed from among over 1 @,@ 500 artists , scholars , critics and historians . A film 's inclusion in one of these lists was based on the film 's popularity over time , historical significance and cultural impact . Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was selected by juries for inclusion on many AFI lists , including the following : 
