Renzo KINOSHITA (September 3, 1936 - January 15, 1997)
Animation Filmmaker
Born in Osaka, in 1936.
Kinoshita was an extremely prolific animation director of TV programmes such as "GEBA GEBA 90 PUN" ('69 - '70), a famous ninety minutes comedy with animation spliced into live-action shots; "CURRICULA-MACHINE" ('74 - '76),
an educational programme for children; as well as TV commercials and promotional works which garnered many awards such as IBA, Clio and Canne.
However, it was with his independent short animations such as "MADE IN JAPAN" ('72), "JAPONESE" ('76), "PICA DON" ('78), etc., that Kinoshita and his Studio Lotus have made a lasting name for themselves internationally.
Throughout his life, Kinoshita energetically depicted the history and contemporary world with an unbiased warm viewpoint, and the underlying theme always being "peace". Such works conveying strong messages as well as his sensitive artistic direction received high reputation internationally. In the later years, he completed "THE LAST AIR RAID - KUMAGAYA" in 1993, and
"A LITTLE JOURNEY" in 1994. Also, he had been preparing his new film, titled "MADE IN OKINAWA", a short animation dedicated to the history and people of Okinawa. The storyboard was completed in 1996, and the film was completed by his partner Sayoko Kinoshita in 2004.
On the other hand, Kinoshita dedicated most of his life for the development of animation art as well as the upbringing of the young artists. He also made efforts to enhance the recognition of animation as an art form and as an effective media. For these aims, he worked hard to introduce Japanese short animation to the world, and at the same time, he energetically introduced other countries' high quality animation to Japanese audience.
In 1981, he established ASIFA-Japan, the national branch of Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (ASIFA).
In 1985, he founded and produced the first international competitive animation festival in Asia, in Hiroshima, endorsed by ASIFA. Together with Sayoko Kinoshita, he contributed for many years to lay the foundation of organizing a high quality festival, investing most of his time and private property. The seventh festival HIROSHIMA'98 was held paying homage to Kinoshita, and there "Renzo Kinoshita Prize" was newly established to award the best independent animation, in memory of his tremendous passion for filmmaking and of his enormous contribution to the success of Hiroshima Festival.
Kinoshita also had a great interest in short films in general, and made efforts for the dissemination of this field too. He was often invited as the Jury of various film festivals, not only of animation but also of short and documentary films.
Kinoshita had been the Board Member of ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d'Animation) since 1979, the Vice-President of ASIFA since 1985, and also, the President of ASIFA-Japan since 1981.