The Mainichi Film Concours, also known as the Mainichi Film Awards, is a prestigious annual film awards event sponsored by the Mainichi Shimbun, one of Japan's largest newspaper companies, in cooperation with Sports Nippon. Considered Japan's first film festival, its origins trace back to the Zen Nihon eiga konkūru in 1935, with its current form officially established in 1946 following an interruption during World War II. The awards celebrate excellence in filmmaking across various categories, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Animation Film, with winners selected by a panel of around 70 film critics, journalists, and experts. Notable specific awards include the Noburō Ōfuji Award for animated works and the Kinuyo Tanaka Award, which has recognized an actress's career annually since 1985. Films eligible for consideration must have been theatrically released in Japan for a specified period in the preceding year.