WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama hosted a screening of the movie “The Monuments Men” at the White House Tuesday.

Actors George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bill Murray star in the movie and attended the private showing at the White House. They were joined by Harry Ettlinger, a member of the original group the movie is based on.

The movie tells the story of a World War II platoon that was tasked with rescuing art and cultural artifacts seized by the Nazis in Germany.

The White House says cultural heritage preservation is a vital foreign policy tool and helps strengthen bilateral relationships.

Damon, a onetime booster of Obama, has expressed his disappointment with the president’s performance in the White House. Most recently, Damon told BET last year that Obama “broke up with him,” and he expressed concerns about US drone operations under Obama and revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden about the agency’s spying programs.

Obama tweaked the disenchanted Damon with a joke at the 2011 White House Correspondent Association Dinner.

“Matt Damon said he was disappointed in my performance. Well, Matt, I just saw The Adjustment Bureau, so right back atcha, buddy!” Obama said.