Chinese Directors
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Kaige Chen was born on 12 August 1952 in Beijing, China. He is a producer and director, known for Farewell My Concubine (1993), The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) and Yellow Earth (1984). He has been married to Hong Chen since 1996. They have two children.- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Zhuangzhuang Tian was born in April 1952 in Beijing, China. He is a director and actor, known for Cha ma gu dao xi lie (2004), Springtime in a Small Town (2002) and The Blue Kite (1993).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Yimou Zhang was born on 14 November 1951 in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. He is a director and writer, known for Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). He has been married to Ting Chen since December 2011. They have three children. He was previously married to Hua Xiao and Hua Xie.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Zhangke Jia was born on 24 May 1970 in Fenyang, Shanxi, China. He is a producer and director, known for Ash Is Purest White (2018), A Touch of Sin (2013) and Mountains May Depart (2015). He has been married to Tao Zhao since 7 January 2012.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Lu Chuan is considered one of the most talented young directors in China, and his films are known for daring and commercially successful takes on historical and social issues.
After receiving a Master's degree in film studies from Beijing Film Academy in 1998, Lu Chuan started as a co-writer for Black Hole, which became one of most-watched TV series in China. His directional debut, The Missing Gun (2002), a black comedy about a small-town policeman who searches desperately for his missing gun, was presented at Cannes, Venice, and Sundance. It won Best Script at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Best Maiden Work Award at the College Student Film Festival of China.
Lu Chuan's second feature, Kekexili, (or Mountain Patrol, 2004), won praised from critics around the world. Lu Chuan used his beautiful and tense style to show the heroism of the Tibetan volunteers who fought poachers to protect the endangered Tibetan antelope. The film turned Lu Chuan into one of the most popular directors in China with great commercial value in the Chinese film market. It won numerous awards including the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Best Picture and Best Cinematography at the Golden Horse Awards, Best Film (shared) at the Golden Rooster Awards, the Don Quixote Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, Outstanding Film and Outstanding Director at the Huabiao Film Awards, and Best Asian Film at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Lu Chuan was then chosen a juror at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
Lu Chuan worked on his third film, City of Life and Death (2009), for four years. This epic film brought to the screen the story of the Nanjing Massacre by Japan during WWII in China. The director's unique take on the massacre attracted over 3 million viewers and made $30 million domestically, making him the fifth director in China to pass the 100 million RMB mark ($16 million USD). It won for Best Director and Best Cinematographer at the Asian Film Awards, Best Cinematography at the Golden Horse Film Awards, Best Film at the Oslo Film Festival, Achievement in Directing and Achievement in Cinematography at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and Golden Shell prize and Best Cinematography at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
In 2012, Lu Chuan released The Last Supper, based on the fall of the Qin dynasty and the founding of the Han dynasty, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2015, he released Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe, a 3D action adventure film which made $106 million USD at the Chinese box office. His newest film, Born in China, is a Disneynature feature to be release worldwide in 2016-2017.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Jianxin Huang was born on 14 June 1954 in Xian, China. He is a producer and director, known for The Warlords (2007), The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) and Gimme Kudos (2005).- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Ziniu Wu was born in 1953 in Leshan, Sichuan, China. He is a director and writer, known for Evening Bell (1989), Deng Xiaoping at History's Crossroads (2014) and Huan le ying xiong (1988).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Mei Hu was born on 2 September 1958 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China. She is a director and producer, known for Han Wu Da Di (2005), Confucius (2010) and Enter the Forbidden City (2018).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
She entered the Directing Department of the Beijing Film Academy when it reopened in 1978 and graduated in 1982. Her second and third feature films, _The Bloody Morning_ and _Family Portrait_, won the Grand Prix at the Festival of Three Continents and the Jury Award at Locarno Film Festival respectively.- Director
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Xiaowen Zhou was born in 1954 in Beijing, China. He is a director and writer, known for Ermo (1994), Zui hou de feng kuang (1989) and The Emperor's Shadow (1996).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Ping He was born in 1957 in Shanxi, China. He was a director and producer, known for Ri guang xia gu (1995), Mai tian (2009) and The Promised Land (2015). He died on 10 January 2023 in Beijing, China.- Director
- Writer
Junzhao Zhang was born in October 1952 in Beijing, China. He was a director and writer, known for Arc Light (1989), Yi ge he ba ge (1984) and Blood from Mother's Hand (1992). He died on 9 June 2018 in Dalian, Liaoning, China.- Editor
- Director
- Actress
Miaomiao Liu is known for Ye yan (2006), A World Without Thieves (2004) and Yong Zheng wang chao (1997).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Xiaogang Feng was born on 18 March 1958 in Beijing, China. He is a writer and producer, known for Mr. Six (2015), A World Without Thieves (2004) and Assembly (2007).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Ning Ying is a prominent Chinese director, screenwriter and producer based in Beijing. She has been defined by Harvard's Nieman Reports as "China's premiere woman director," and Peter Keough from The Boston Phoenix refers her as "one of her country's major talents."
She graduated from Beijing Film Academy and then from Italy's National Film School. While studying in Rome she befriended Bernardo Bertolucci; he later hired her as assistant director for THE LAST EMPEROR. She completed a fellowship at Harvard University and was awarded to the Order of the Star of Italy for excellence in the arts. The Peace Women Across the Globe Association nominated her among 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1990 she directed her first film, the comedy blockbuster SOMEONE LOVES JUST ME, soon followed by her internationally acclaimed "Beijing Trilogy": FOR FUN/1992, ON THE BEAT/1995 and I LOVE BEIJING/2000. According to Harvard's Nieman Report, it represents "both a historical document of the transformation of the filmmaker's native city and her cinematic eulogy to a form of life that is rapidly vanishing" and received many prestigious international awards, making her a pioneer of Chinese urban cinema.
In 2002 her RAILROAD OF HOPE won first prize at the Cinema du Reel in Paris. Jean Michael Frodon wrote: her cinema "foreshadows the urban minimalist fictions that represent the most meaningful advances of the next generation of Chinese cinema d'auteur, from Zhang Yuan to Jia Zhang-ke, to Wang Chao."
In 2005 PERPETUAL MOTION was presented at Venice Int. Film Festival and was regarded by Giovanna Fulvi as "undoubtedly a turning point as concerns the women's image in Chinese cinema", as well as "a milestone for women in the new Chinese cinema." Cristina Piccino has also referred her film style as "a poetic and political borderline cinema, having a Rossellini's style passion for mixing fiction with reality... in such sense Ning Ying was a 'mentor' for Jia Zhang-ke's generation"
In 2013, her TO LIVE AND DIE IN ORDOS, a film that is highly appreciated by Yoshihiko Yatabe as "an aspect of China's contemporary history" and was awarded Best Actor at Tokyo International Film Festival, China HuaBiao Award for best picture, best film at China WuGeYi Best Works Award, and best screenwriter at China Filmmaker's Association Award.
Ning Ying has been a jury member at numerous International Film Festivals, including Berlin, Locarno, Torino, Tokyo film-ex, Yamagata. She is the head of Film Department of Central Academy of Fine Arts - College of City Design.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Producer
Changwei Gu was born on 12 December 1957 in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Til Death Do Us Part (2011), Farewell My Concubine (1993) and Kong que (2005). He has been married to Wenli Jiang since 1993. They have one child.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Wang Xiaoshuai (Director, Writer, Producer)
Wang Xiaoshuai is one of very few masters who remains true to his art in spite of rampant commercialism in the Chinese film market. Evoking the trauma of ordinary Chinese people caught in extraordinary times, his works span different eras, yet consistently reflect a strong social conscience.
Born in 1966, he was a graduate of Beijing Film Academy. At 27, he emerged as one of the key Sixth Generation directors with his debut feature The Days (1993) ,it was selected as one of the best 100 films of all time by the BBC in 1995. He followed up with Frozen (1996) and So Close to Paradise (1998), the later premiering in the Un certain regard section in Cannes. Wang's gritty depiction of listless youth in a time of bewildering social changes earned him international critical acclaim, but none of his early films could be officially released at home. Beijing Bicycle (2001) won the Grand Jury Silver Bear in Competition at the Berlinale, for a stunningly fresh image of Chinese teenagers negotiating the class gap in a new age of materialism.
Wang's works have competed in Cannes Film Festival four times, three times in the Berlinale, and also at Venice and San Sebastian film festivals. For his artistic accomplishments, he has received many distinguished honors notably the Grand Jury Prize for Shanghai Dreams (2005) in the Cannes Main Competition and the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for In Love We Trust (2008). His recent work Red Amnesia (2014) was selected in competition for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival, and the latest title So Long, My Son (2019) won two Silver Bears for the Best Actor and Actress at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival, both examine the far-reaching consequences of the past on the present.
Filmography The Days (1993) Frozen (1996) So Close to Paradise (1998) Suburban Dreams (2000) Beijing Bicycle (2001) Drifters (2003) Shanghai Dreams (2005) In Love We Trust (2008) Chongqing Blues (2010) 11 Flowers (2011) Red Amnesia (2014) So Long, My Son (2019) Documentary: Chinese Portrait (2018) Short film: After the War (2001) The Cornfield (2015) Reflection (2017)- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Yuan Zhang was born in October 1963 in Nanjing, China. He is a director and producer, known for Kan shang qu hen mei (2006), Seventeen Years (1999) and East Palace, West Palace (1996).- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Yang Li was born in 1959 in Xian, China. He is a writer and producer, known for Blind Shaft (2003), Blind Mountain (2007) and The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jianjun He was born in 1960 in Peking, China. He is a director and writer, known for Postman (1995), Hu die de wei xiao (2001) and Man yan (2004).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Ye Lou was born (in 1965) and grew up in Shanghai, a city he would film beautifully in his Suzhou River (2000) (Suzhou River). After studying cinema at the Beijing Film Academy, the gifted young man debuted in the film career as an assistant director, a producer and a short subjects director. His second feature Zhou mo qing ren (1993) (Weekend Lover) was both a public and critical success, crowned by the Fassbinder Prize. In 1997, he accepted to produce "Super City", a TV series for which he hired ten of the most promising names of the sixth-generation-directors. Three years later, he came to international prominence with Suzhou River (2000) (Suzhou River), an ambitious artistic meditation on love and the status of woman in the rapidly changing Chinese society as well as a moving ode to his home town Shanghai.- Director
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- Cinematographer
- Director
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Yang Zhang was born in 1967 in Beijing, China. He is a director and writer, known for Getting Home (2007), Shower (1999) and Aiqing mala tang (1997).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Wen Jiang was born on 5 January 1963 in Tangshan, China. He is an actor and director, known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Let the Bullets Fly (2010) and Devils on the Doorstep (2000). He has been married to Yun Zhou since 2005. They have two children. He was previously married to Sandrine Chenivisse.- Cinematographer
- Director
- Actor
Yue Lü was born in 1957 in China. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Red Cliff (2008), Thirteen Princess Trees (2006) and Shanghai Triad (1995).- Cinematographer
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Yong Hou was born on 26 September 1960 in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Jasmine Women (2004), Wang dao (2023) and Hero (2002).- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Jinglei Xu was born on 16 April 1974 in Beijing, China. She is an actress and producer, known for Go Lala Go! (2010), The Warlords (2007) and Yi ge mo sheng nu ren de lai xin (2004).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Quan'an Wang was born in Yan'an in 1965. A graduate from the 1991 Beijing Film Academy promotion, he belongs to what has been called the "sixth generation" of Chinese directors. From 1999 to 2009, he shared his life with actress Nan Yu, with whom he made his first four movies : "Yue shi" (Lunar Eclipse), in 1999; "Jing zhe", in 2004; "Tuya de hun shi" (Tuya's Marriage), in 2006; "Fang zhi gu niang"(Weaving Girl), in 2009. His first film without his muse, "Tuan yuan" (Apart Together), released in 2010, is the touching chronicle of the attempted reunion of a husband and wife after five decades of separation. This minimalist movie was followed by an expensive and ambitious filmed version of Zhongshi Chen's novel, "Bai Lu yuan", long deemed unadaptable. Wang Quan'an, one of China's best talents, was rewarded twice at the Berlin International Film Festival (with the Gold Bear in 2007 for "Tuya's Marriage", and the Best Writer Silver Bear in 2010 for "Apart Together").- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Wuershan was born on June 10, 1972 in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China. He is an ethnic Mongolian. He currently lives and works in Beijing, China.
At 16 years old, Wuershan enrolled into the High School affiliated to China Central Academy of Fine Arts. Then he was admitted into the Oil Painting Department of China Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1992, but he dropped out in the next year.
In 1994, Wuershan studied Directing at Beijing Film Academy.
After he graduated from Beijing Film Academy in 1998, Wuershan started his career as an advertising director. He then became one of top commercial directors in China. In the meantime, he also made video arts, installations and performing art as an avant-garde artist.
In 2004, Wuershan directed, wrote and produced Soap Opera (2004), which won the FIPRESCI Award of Busan International Film Festival. The FIPRESCI Award was given by the International Federation of Film Critics from the entries in the New Currents section of the film festival.
In 2011, Wuershan directed and wrote the avantgarde martial arts comedy The Butcher, the Chef and the Swordsman (2011). He won the Best New Director of the 48th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, and the film was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay of the film festival.
In 2012, Wuershan directed the Chinese fantasy romantic film Painted Skin: The Resurrection (2012). It renewed 12 records in Chinese film history with total box office gross of CNY 726 million in Mainland China. Painted Skin: The Resurrection received the nomination for Best Visual Effects of the 49th Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards, as well as the nomination for Best Film From Mainland and Taiwan of the 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards.
In 2015, Wuershan directed the fantasy adventure blockbuster Mojin: The Lost Legend (previously titled The Ghouls). It has grossed CNY $1.6 billion in mainland China till January 7, 2015, which broke various significant records and became the second highest-grossing film in Chinese history.- Director
- Stunts
- Actor
Woo-Ping Yuen was born on 1 January 1945 in Guangzhou, China. He is a director and actor, known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Fearless (2006) and The Grandmaster (2013).- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Sijie Dai was born on 2 March 1954 in Putian, China. He is a writer and director, known for The Chinese Botanist's Daughters (2006), Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002) and Niu-Peng (1989).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Baoping Cao was born on 2 January 1962 in China. He is a director and writer, known for The Dead End (2015), Cock and Bull (2016) and Trouble Makers (2006).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Qunshu Gao was born on 7 March 1966 in Hebei, China. He is a director and actor, known for Beijing Blues (2012), Qian jun yi fa (2008) and Crimes of Passion (2013).- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Wei Zhao was born in Wuhu, Anhui province. She is the second child of her family. Because she is the only girl, Zhao's father named her Wei, literally "Rose". Her father was a senior engineer, her mother was a music teacher.
After filming A Soul Haunted By Painting (1994) as a figurant, Wei Zhao was inspired by Li Gong's performance and deter-minded to be an actor. In 1994, as the first year student, Zhao moved to Shanghai and entered the Star Academy, held by Chinese master Jin Xie. The same year, Zhao filmed the Behind the Wall of Shame (1995), directed by Xie. After filming several television series and advertisements, including as a leading role in Sisters in Beijing (1995), she gain a little fame in the north China. In the entrance examination, Wei Zhao obtained the highest score when she was matriculated into the acting institute of the Beijing Film Academy in 1996. When Qiong Yao casting actors in 1997, she watched Zhao's television show and impressed by her.
During 1998-1999, two seasons of My Fair Princess, adapted from Qiong Yao's novel, obtained explosive success and broke the record until today. Zhao won Golden Eagle Award for Best Actress for playing Xiao Yan Zi (Little Swallow), which considered the most phenomenon TV character of the decade. Then zhao's several series were very popular in east and southeast Asia, such as Romance in the Rain (2001), another Qiong Yao production. Zhao also became the box-office daring in mainland China and Hong Kong, for The Duel (2000), Shaolin Soccer (2001), Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002), So Close (2002).
A picture, shoot in New York, totally destoryed Zhao's hopefully career. In Dec. 3, 2001, a mainland China website upload a photo, Zhao wears a dress looks like Japanese military flag, which labeled Heatherette NYC designed by Richie Rich, published on Fashion Magazine sep issue. Most of Chinese shocked and thought their "China sweetie" betrayed the nation. After several times apology on TV Live, radio, newspaper and Internet, public have forgive her eventually. For box office failure of Green Tea (2003), My Dream Girl (2003), Goddess of Mercy (2003), several china newspapers named her as box-office poison.
In 2005, for critical acclaimed A Time to Love, Zhao won three Best Actress awards, including Shanghai Film Festival Golden Goblet Award. Drama series Moment in Peking (2005) was the most viewers tv show of the year, the highest rating episode nearly 13%. Then The Postmodern Life of My Aunt (2006), The Longest Night in Shanghai (2007) obtained positive reviews.
In 2006, Zhao back to Beijing Film Academy, study directing, and got master's degree (MFA).
Since 2008, the sustained success of movies, including Red Cliff I & II (2008-2009), Painted Skin (2008), 14 Blades (2010), Painted Skin: The Resurruction (2012), Love (2012), Hollywood Adventure (2015), Lost in Hong Kong (2015), marked Zhao as A-list box-office star in China. Alougth Mulan (2009) got mixed reviews in China, critics praised Zhao, she won Hundred Flowers Award, Changchun Film Festival Golden Deer Award and Shanghai Film Critics Award for Best Actress.
Wei Zhao's directorial debut So Young (2013) got favorable reviews, listed in many critics Top Ten of the Year, and box-office broke 110 million dollars in mainland China. Zhao won Golden Rooster Award for Best Directorial Debut, as the youngest winner of Hundred Flowers Award for Best Director, and Hong Kong Film Award for Best Chinese Language Film from Two Coasts.
For Peter Chan's Dearest (2014), Zhao, highly praised by critics and audience, was regarded as best performance of the Year. She won numerous awards and nominations, including Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress.
Vicki Zhao is the english name of Wei Zhao's music career. From 1999 to 2001, her 4 albums sold more than 3,700,000 records in Asia. During 2004-2008, Zhao's last four studio albums received welcomed reviews. And she won dozens of music awards.
Besides her career, Wei Zhao always engage in charity. Since 2004, Zhao held a scholarship in her hometown for local students. Since 2014, she held V-Love Foudation for Leukemia in Childhood.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Xiaolu Xue is known for Finding Mr. Right (2013), Ocean Heaven (2010) and My People, My Country (2019).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Sheng Ding was born in 1970 in Qingdao, Shandong, China. He is a director and writer, known for Saving Mr. Wu (2015), A Better Tomorrow 2018 (2018) and Nothing Can't Be Undone by a HotPot (2024).- Director
- Writer
Jiang Xiao is known for Electric Shadows (2004) and Pk.com.cn (2008).- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Hu Guan was born on 1 August 1968 in Beijing, China. He is a producer and director, known for Mr. Six (2015), The Eight Hundred (2020) and Dou niu (2009).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Shupeng Yang was born in 1970 in Baoji, Shaanxi, China. He is a director and writer, known for Eastern Bandits (2012), Feng huo (2007) and Pattaya Heat (2024). He was previously married to Xinyi Zhang.- Director
- Editor
- Writer
Ching-Po Wong is known for The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023), Revenge: A Love Story (2010) and Triad Underworld (2004).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Meng Zhang was born on 12 April 1975 in Shenyang, Liaoning, China. He is a director and producer, known for The Piano in a Factory (2010), Lucky Dog (2008) and Uncle Victory (2014).- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Born into a family of doctors and educated in China at the Shanghai Film Academy and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages, Joan Chen was discovered by veteran Chinese director Jin Xie while observing a filming with a school group. Her performance in Xiao hua (1979) (A.K.A. "The Little Flower") won China's Best Actress award, and resulted in the Chinese press dubbing her "The Elizabeth Taylor of China" for having achieved top stardom while still in her teen years. She came to the U.S. to attend college in 1981, first at the State University of New York at New Paltz, later at California State University at Northridge. She a succession of small parts in movies and T.V., with her first break coming in 1986 when, in true Hollywood legend, producer Dino De Laurentiis noticed her in the parking lot of Lorimar Studios and cast her in Tai-Pan (1986). The film bombed, but it led to her being cast as the ill-fated Empress in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987), which won critical acclaim. This, and her role as enigmatic mill owner Josie Packard in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990), are her best-known roles in Europe and North America. However, Hollywood's practice of type-casting East Asians has led to a dearth of major roles for Chen since then, and in recent roles, she has often been cast as a villainess.
After taking a few years off to start a family, Joan returned to the screen in important supporting roles playing women in early middle age, such as the mother of a principle adult character. As a result, her career is flourishing again on both sides of the Pacific. Her two directing efforts were well-received critically, and in a 2008 interview she revealed she planned to direct again but was putting that off until her daughters were grown, since directing took her away from them too much, whereas acting could be done on a part-time basis.