Kinema Junpo

Kinema Junpo
キネマ旬報
Cover of the first issue of Kinema Junpo, dated July 11, 1919
Cover of the first issue of Kinema Junpo, dated July 11, 1919
CategoriesFilm
FrequencySemimonthly
PublisherMasanobu Shimizu (清水勝之)
FounderSaburō Tanaka
First issueJuly 11, 1919; 105 years ago (1919-07-11)
CompanyKinema Junposha KK
CountryJapan
Based inMinato-ku, Tokyo
LanguageJapanese
WebsiteOfficial website

Kinema Junpo (キネマ旬報, Kinema Junpō, lit. 'Seasonal Cinema News'), commonly called Kinejun (キネ旬), is Japan's oldest film magazine and began publication in July 1919.[1][2][3][4] It was first published three times a month, using the Japanese Jun (旬) system of dividing months into three parts, but the postwar Kinema Junpō has been published twice a month.

The magazine was founded by a group of four students, including Saburō Tanaka, at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Technical High School at the time).[1] In that first month, it was published three times on days with a "1" in them. These first three issues were printed on art paper and had four pages each. Kinejun initially specialized in covering foreign films, in part because its writers sided with the principles of the Pure Film Movement and strongly criticized Japanese cinema. It later expanded coverage to films released in Japan. While long emphasizing film criticism, it has also served as a trade journal, reporting on the film industry in Japan and announcing new films and trends.[5]

After their building was destroyed in the Great Kantō earthquake in September 1923, the Kinejun offices were moved to the city of Ashiya in the Hanshin area of Japan, though the main offices are now back in Tokyo.

The Kinema Junpo Best Ten awards began in 1924, their Best Ten lists are considered iconic and prestigious.[3] Initially launched as accolades for foreign films, awards for Japanese films were established in 1926 and readers' choice awards were introduced in 1972.[6][7]

  1. ^ a b "キネマ旬報". KOTOBAMK. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  2. ^ "キネマ旬報". （株）ケージェイ. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b Schilling, Mark (February 25, 2015). "Japan's Academy Prizes — the fix is in?". The Japan Times. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
  4. ^ "5年ぶりのキネマ旬報ベスト・テン授賞式で熱い ..." moviewalker news. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  5. ^ 加藤幹郎『映画館と観客の文化史』中央公論新社、2006 p.210頁。ISBN 978-4-12-101854-0
  6. ^ "２０２２年 第９６回キネマ旬報ベスト・テン発表＆表彰式 YouTubeライブ配信決定！". CinemaCafé.net (in Japanese). 23 January 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  7. ^ "キネマ旬報ベスト・テン９５回全史１９２４－２０２１". Kinejun Online (in Japanese). May 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.