Shōzō Makino (director)

Shōzō Makino (牧野省三, Makino Shōzō, September 22, 1878, Kyoto – July 25, 1929) was a Japanese film director, film producer and businessman who is regarded as a pioneering director of Japanese film, granting the title "Father of the Japanese film" (Japanese: 日本映画の父, Hepburn: Nihon Eiga no Chichi) liken to D. W. Griffith, while Makino was proud of the nickname "Griffith Makino" (Japanese: グリフィス・マキノ, Hepburn: Grifisu Makino) given by Griffith himself.

In addition, all four of his sons, including Masahiro Makino and Sadatsugu Matsuda, went into the film business as either directors or producers, and his grandchildren include the actors Masahiko Tsugawa and Hiroyuki Nagato. Actress Yoko Minamida is a granddaughter-in-law.