Tony Rayns
No plate on record.
British film critic and champion of East Asian cinema who died at 78.
Particulars
Tony Rayns, born Antony Rayns in 1948, was a distinguished British film critic, commentator, screenwriter, and festival programmer renowned for his advocacy of East Asian cinema. He began his career contributing to underground publications and later became a prominent voice in film journalism through his work with the Monthly Film Bulletin, Sight & Sound, Time Out, and Melody Maker. Rayns was instrumental in introducing Western audiences to Asian filmmakers, presenting the television series 'New Chinese Cinema' and coordinating the Dragons and Tigers competition at the Vancouver International Film Festival for nearly two decades. As a screenwriter, he collaborated with cinematographer Christopher Doyle on the feature film 'Away with Words' and authored books on influential directors such as Seijun Suzuki, Wong Kar-wai, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. A respected translator, he provided English subtitles for numerous East Asian films and contributed commentary tracks to many DVD releases. His contributions to cinema were recognized with awards including the Kawakita Prize and the Foreign Ministry of Japan's Commendation. Rayns passed away in 2026 at the age of 78.
Compiled from source reports and Wikipedia. Automated record.