# film genre

> classification of films based on similarities in narrative elements

**Wikidata**: [Q201658](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q201658)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_genre)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/film-genre

## Summary
A film genre is a classification system for movies based on shared similarities in their narrative elements. It functions as a second-order class and a specific type of audiovisual genre that organizes the broader field of cinematography. This concept serves as a metaclass for individual films, allowing them to be categorized by theme and style across global linguistic and academic contexts.

## Key Facts
*   **Definition:** A classification of films based on similarities in narrative elements.
*   **Classification Level:** It is a second-order class and a subclass of "audiovisual genre."
*   **Parent Domain:** It is a part of "cinematography" and a facet of "film theme."
*   **Global Reach:** The concept has sitelinks in 60 different languages, ranging from Arabic (ar) and Chinese (zh) to Welsh (cy) and Vietnamese (vi).
*   **Authority Identifiers:**
    *   **GND ID:** 4328427-9 (Reference: Q48183)
    *   **Library of Congress:** sh86003119 (Reference: Q36578)
    *   **National Library of Israel (J9U):** 987007551257705171 (Reference: Q188915)
    *   **Art & Architecture Thesaurus:** 300263854
    *   **KBPedia ID:** FilmGenre (Reference: Q64139102, Retrieved: 2020-07-09)
    *   **Freebase ID:** /m/036lq (Reference: Q15241312, Published: 2013-10-28)
    *   **Google Knowledge Graph:** /g/1216x1pp
    *   **Treccani's Enciclopedia del Cinema:** generi-cinematografici (Published: 2003, Author: Roberto Campari)
    *   **Encyclopedia of China (3rd Ed):** 71499
    *   **Yale Lux ID:** concept/35a20697-dd33-4d1e-a4d6-9931f18d4396
    *   **Microsoft Academic (Discontinued):** 163999200
    *   **JSTOR Topic ID:** film-genres
    *   **PhilPapers Topic:** genres-of-film
    *   **Iconclass Notation:** 48C873
    *   **Basisklassifikation:** 24.34 (Qualifier: narrow match)
    *   **Store ID (Google Play):** .taxonomy/4261
    *   **Zhihu Topic ID:** 19685500 (Qualifier: 电影类型)
    *   **NL CR AUT ID:** ph120206 (Qualifier: filmové žánry)
    *   **SK Cinema Authority ID:** 0031961 (Qualifier: filmové žánre)
*   **Aliases:** Includes "movie genre," "video genre," "Filmkategorie," "Filmgattung," "電影類型," "жанры кино," "영화의 종류," and "الصنف السينيمائي," among dozens of others.
*   **Main Wikidata Properties:** P11588 and P11564.
*   **Equivalence:** Said to be the same as "movement in cinema."
*   **Related Lists:** Associated with a "list of film genres."
*   **Main Category:** Category:Film genres.
*   **Commons Category:** Films by genre.
*   **Wikipedia Title:** Film genre.

## FAQs
**How is a film genre defined and what does it classify?**
A film genre is defined as a classification system that groups movies based on shared similarities in their narrative elements. It acts as a facet of film theme and is considered a part of the broader field of cinematography.

**What are the primary identifiers used to reference this concept in academic and library databases?**
The concept is tracked by numerous authority IDs, including the Library of Congress ID sh86003119, the GND ID 4328427-9, and the Art & Architecture Thesaurus ID 300263854. It also holds specific identifiers in the National Library of Israel (987007551257705171) and the Encyclopedia of China (71499).

**In which languages is the concept of film genre documented on Wikipedia?**
The topic is available in 60 languages, including major ones like English, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese, as well as regional languages such as Basque, Breton, and Tibetan.

**Is "film genre" considered a specific type of film or a higher-level category?**
It is classified as a second-order class and a metaclass for individual films, meaning it is a category used to organize films rather than a film itself. It is also a subclass of the broader "audiovisual genre."

**What digital platforms and knowledge graphs include this entity?**
The entity appears in the Google Knowledge Graph, Freebase, Microsoft Academic, and the Google Play Store taxonomy. It is also indexed in JSTOR, PhilPapers, and the Treccani's Enciclopedia del Cinema.

## Why It Matters
The concept of film genre is fundamental to the organization and analysis of the cinematic arts, providing a structured framework for understanding narrative similarities across thousands of films. By serving as a metaclass for individual films, it enables scholars, critics, and audiences to categorize works by theme, style, and narrative structure, facilitating easier discovery and academic study. Its presence in over 60 languages and integration into major library authority files (such as the Library of Congress and GND) underscores its role as a universal standard for indexing and retrieving film-related information globally. Furthermore, its classification as a facet of film theme allows for nuanced analysis of how stories are constructed and perceived across different cultures and time periods.

## Notable For
*   **Universal Linguistic Presence:** Maintains active Wikipedia sitelinks in 60 distinct languages, demonstrating its global conceptual reach.
*   **Cross-Platform Authority:** Holds verified identifiers across diverse systems, from the Library of Congress and GND to digital platforms like Google Play and Zhihu.
*   **Academic Integration:** Recognized by major academic indexing services including JSTOR, PhilPapers, and the Encyclopedia of China.
*   **Metaclass Status:** Uniquely functions as a second-order class and a metaclass for the entity "film," distinguishing it from the films themselves.
*   **Historical Documentation:** Documented in specialized encyclopedias such as Treccani's Enciclopedia del Cinema with specific attribution to author Roberto Campari in 2003.
*   **Semantic Equivalence:** Explicitly linked as being the same as "movement in cinema," bridging genre theory with cinematic history.

## Body

### Definition and Classification Structure
A film genre is fundamentally a classification of films based on similarities in narrative elements. It operates as a second-order class, meaning it is a category used to classify other entities rather than a primary entity itself. In the hierarchy of knowledge, it is a subclass of "audiovisual genre" and is an integral part of "cinematography." Additionally, it serves as a facet of "film theme," linking narrative content to broader thematic discussions. The concept acts as a metaclass for "film," providing the structural logic that allows individual movies to be grouped and analyzed. It is also said to be the same as "movement in cinema," suggesting a fluid relationship between genre definitions and historical cinematic movements.

### Global Linguistic and Cultural Reach
The concept of film genre is documented extensively across the globe, with a total sitelink count of 60 on Wikipedia. The available languages include Arabic (ar), Chinese (zh, zh_yue), Spanish (es), Russian (ru), Korean (ko), French (fr), German (de), and many others such as Basque (eu), Breton (br), and Tibetan (bo). This widespread documentation reflects the universal application of genre theory in film culture. Specific localizations include "電影類型" and "电影类型" in Chinese, "жанры кино" and "киножанр" in Russian, and "영화의 종류" and "영화 장르" in Korean. The concept is also represented in the Zhihu topic "19685500" with the qualifier "电影类型," highlighting its relevance in Chinese social media and knowledge platforms.

### Authority Identifiers and Database Integration
Film genre is tracked by a vast array of authority identifiers used by libraries, museums, and academic databases. The GND ID is 4328427-9, referenced from Q48183. The Library of Congress Authority ID is sh86003119, with the qualifier "Film genres," referenced from Q36578. The National Library of Israel J9U ID is 987007551257705171, referenced from Q188915. In the Art & Architecture Thesaurus, it is assigned the ID 300263854. KBPedia identifies it as "FilmGenre" (Reference: Q64139102, Retrieved: 2020-07-09). Freebase uses the ID /m/036lq (Reference: Q15241312, Published: 2013-10-28). The Google Knowledge Graph ID is /g/1216x1pp. Other identifiers include the Treccani's Enciclopedia del Cinema ID "generi-cinematografici" (Published: 2003, Author: Roberto Campari), the Encyclopedia of China (3rd Ed) ID 71499, and the Yale Lux ID concept/35a20697-dd33-4d1e-a4d6-9931f18d4396. Discontinued identifiers include the Microsoft Academic ID 163999200.

### Academic and Thematic Context
In academic circles, the topic is indexed under the PhilPapers topic "genres-of-film" and the JSTOR topic ID "film-genres." The Iconclass notation assigned is 48C873, which is used for art and iconography classification. The Basisklassifikation value is 24.34, with a qualifier indicating a "narrow match." The concept is the main subject of the Wikipedia title "Film genre" and is categorized under "Category:Film genres" and "Films by genre" on Wikimedia Commons. The main Wikidata properties associated with this entity are P11588 and P11564. It is also linked to a "list of film genres," indicating its role in organizing specific genre examples.

### Technical and Platform Specifics
The entity has a specific presence in digital taxonomies, including the Google Play Store ID ".taxonomy/4261." It is also tracked in the NL CR AUT system with ID ph120206 (Qualifier: filmové žánry) and the SK Cinema Authority system with ID 0031961 (Qualifier: filmové žánre). The IAB code for this category is 328. These technical identifiers ensure that the concept is correctly categorized in digital content distribution, advertising, and library systems. The aliases for the entity are extensive, covering variations like "movie genre," "video genre," "Filmkategorie," "Filmgattung," "Film-Genre," "géneros cinematográficos," "género de cine," "género fílmico," "genero cinematografico," "generos cinematograficos," "genero de cine," "genero filmico," "電影類型," "片种," "жанры киноискусства," "жанр киноискусства," "الصنف السينيمائي," "영화 갈래," and "영화 분야," among others.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. National Library of Israel
4. KBpedia
5. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)