The most prestigious award is the best picture award. Past winners are:
| Year | Film (English) | Film (Japanese) | Director
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Twilight Samurai | たそがれ清兵衛 | Yoji Yamada |
| 2001 | Spirited Away | 千と千尋の神隠し | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 2000 | After the Rain | 雨あがる | Takashi Koizumi |
| 1999 | Poppoya | ぽっぽや | Yasuo Furuhata |
| 1998 | Begging for Love | 愛を乞う人 | Hideyuki Hirayama |
| 1997 | Princess Mononoke | もののけ姫 | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 1996 | Shall we Dance | Shall we ダンス？ | Masayuki Suo |
| 1995 | A Last Note | 午後の遺言状 | Kaneto Shindo |
| 1994 | Crest of Betrayal | 忠臣蔵外伝四谷怪談 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1993 | A Class to Remember | 学校 | Yoji Yamada |
| 1992 | Sumo Do, Sumo Don't | シコふんじゃった。 | Masayuki Suo |
| 1991 | My Sons | 息子 | Yoji Yamada |
| 1990 | Childhood Days | 少年時代 | Masahiro Shinoda |
| 1989 | Black Rain | 黒い雨 | Shohei Imamura |
| 1988 | The Silk Road | 敦煌 | Junya Sato |
| 1987 | A Taxing Woman | マルサの女 | Juzo Itami |
| 1986 | House on Fire | 火宅の人 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1985 | Gray Sunset | 花いちもんめ | Shunya Ito |
| 1984 | The Funeral | お葬式 | Juzo Itami |
| 1983 | Ballad of Narayama | 楢山節考 | Shohei Imamura |
| 1982 | Fall Guy | 蒲田行進曲 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1981 | Station | 駅 | Yasuo Furuhata |
| 1980 | Zigeunerweisen | ツゴイネルワイゼン | Seijun Suzuki |
| 1979 | Vengeance is Mine | 復讐するは我にあり | Shohei Imamura |
| 1978 | The Incident | 事件 | Yoshitaro Nomura |
| 1977 | The Yellow Hankerchief | 幸福の黄色いハンカチ | Yoji Yamada |