Top 10 Most Famous Film Directors in China

Zhang Yimou was born on April 2nd. He is a renowned director, producer, screenwriter, and also a former actor and cinematographer from China. He belongs to the fifth generation of Chinese filmmakers, graduating from the cinematography class in 1982. His debut film was Red Sorghum released in 1987 starring Gong Li. Following his notable works, Zhang Yimou's reputation and recognition have grown worldwide.

Zhang Yimou has repeatedly made significant impacts internationally, winning numerous prestigious film awards: two Oscar nominations for 'Best Foreign Language Film,' Golden Lion and Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, among others. His films have also propelled Gong Li and Chow Yun-fat to become world-class film stars. With extensive filmmaking experience, his works have always been popular and renowned worldwide.

Fictional Character Chương Kha was born on May 24th, 1970. He was born in Phan Dương, Sơn Tây province, China. He began to take an interest in cinema in the early 1990s after being inspired by Tran Khai Ca's masterpiece, The Land of the Soul. In 1993, he joined the Beijing Film Academy, majoring in film theory.

Like most of his contemporaries, Fictional Character Chương Kha was trained from the cradle of Chinese art - the Beijing Film Academy. However, instead of producing films for the Chinese government, he independently created his first three films, achieving remarkable success in the underground world. Starting in 2004, with the film The World, Fictional Character Chương Kha gained official approval from the government, but this legitimacy could not erase the criticisms and prejudices against him. His works often address the pressing social issues of China at that time, especially the plight of young people at the bottom of society.

Some notable works of Fictional Character Chương Kha include: Little V (1997), Station (2000), Unknown Pleasures (2002), The World (2004), Still Life (2006), 24 City (2008), A Touch of Sin (2013), Mountains May Depart (2015)...

Tran Kai Ca, born Tran Ngai Cat, was born in Beijing into a family with a film tradition. His father, Tran Hoai Ngai, is a renowned director. He was born on August 12, 1952, and is a male actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer from China. He is considered one of the most prominent figures of the fifth generation of Chinese filmmakers. His films are often highly praised for their imagery and storytelling, most notably Bá Vương biệt cơ, the first Chinese film to receive the Golden Palm award.

In 1984, Tran Kai Ca directed his debut film, The Land of the Soul, one of the most important works of the fifth generation of directors. With cinematography by Zhang Yimou, The Land of the Soul was highly acclaimed for its narrative and visual breakthroughs, marking an artistic milestone for the early stages of Chinese cinema liberalization. In 2005, at the Hong Kong Film Awards, this work was voted the 4th best film in the history of Chinese-language cinema. Following his debut success, Tran Kai Ca continued to produce high-quality films such as The Great Parade (1986), shot by Zhang Yimou, and King of Children (1987), and Adieu Bonaparte (1991), shot by Gu Changwei.

Lee An was born on October 23, 1954, in Chiayi, Southern Taiwan. His father was an educator from Mainland China who immigrated to Taiwan. His younger brother is also a director. In 1975, he graduated from the National Taiwan University of Arts before pursuing studies in stage directing at the University of Illinois and film production at New York University. In 1985, he won his first award. In 1992, he debuted his first film after years of screenplay writing titled Firm Hands, a comedy about the Taiwanese community in New York.

He is a talented director, having received the Best Director award from the Directors Guild of America in early 2001. In 2002, his film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon became a phenomenon in the world of cinema, winning 4 Oscars and grossing a massive $130 million. In 2006, he won the Oscar for Best Director for the film Brokeback Mountain. In 2013, he won the Oscar for Best Director for Life of Pi. Additionally, he has many other famous films such as: Gemini Man (2019),...

Lau Diep born in 1965 is a Chinese screenwriter and director, often classified in the '6th Generation of Chinese Directors'. Born in Shanghai, Lau studied at the Beijing Film Academy. In 1993, he made his first feature film titled Weekend Lover, but the film was released two years later. In the midst of completing and releasing Weekend Lover, he made and screened Nightmare Lover, a thriller about a girl seeing her nightmares become reality in 1994. However, it was not until his third film, the neo-noir masterpiece River To Chau, that Lau attracted international attention.

Born in Shanghai, Lau Diep has set many of his films in this city, such as River To Chau (2000) or Purple Butterfly, set during the period of Japanese occupation of China. Lau Diep's classic works include: River To Chau (2000), Summer Palace (2006), Blind Massage (2014), The Gull's Eye (2014), Look for Clouds to Bring Rain (2018), The Great Theatre (2019),...

Ngo Vu Sam born on May 01, 1946, is a male director, screenwriter, and film producer from Hong Kong - China. In 1969, at the age of 23, Ngo Vu Sam entered the film industry as a script editor at Cathay Studios. Three years later, Ngo became an assistant director at the largest film studio in Hong Kong, Shaw Brothers, when famous director Zhang Jieti chose Ngo as his assistant.

5 years after starting his career, Ngo Vu Sam was assigned to direct his first film, a martial arts film titled Iron Hand and Silk Heart (1974). He directed martial arts for the film, starring Jackie Chan, who was also starting his career at that time. This was a production of Gia Hua film studio, where Ngo Vu Sam also made other martial arts films. He also succeeded with comedy films such as Farewell to the Cold (1977) starring the star Hua Quan Anh. He has many acclaimed films such as: In 1986, he collaborated with Tu Khac to produce the film Heroic Character, Blood Brothers (1989), The Latent Detective (1992),...

Wang Xiao Sai born on May 22. He is an independent filmmaker from China, originally from Shanghai, by Knight France of the Literary and Artistic Line, classified as the sixth generation of Chinese directors. Working with art-based films but unfortunately, most of his works failed to be released in China. He always adheres to his pursuit, only to have a different perspective, not from the lives of ordinary people. Wang Xiao Sai, emphasizes the responsibility and function of the film about art and culture on a part of the film director criticized for covering commercial embarrassment.

In 1981, Wang Xiao Sai was enrolled in the Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts High School. In the early 1980s, China began a completely reform. In the study of art, he gradually became interested in films, so in 1985, after graduating from high school, he entered the Beijing Film Academy. In 1990, after graduation, Wang Xiao Sai was assigned to Phukien Film Company. Next is the 2000 film Beijing Bicycle.

Phung Xiao Cuong was born on October 10, 1958 in Beijing, China. He is a Chinese film director known for his highly successful commercial films in China. He is also the first Chinese director to have his hand and footprints immortalized at the TLC Chinese Theatre. In 1985, he began his film career as an art designer at the Beijing Television Art Center. Later, he transitioned to writing screenplays for films.

In 1997, he rose to fame with the film Dream Factory as its director. He achieved success despite facing competition from Hollywood in the Chinese mainland. Phung Xiao Cuong's films showing in theaters are considered representative of a new model for positioning national cinemas in China. He is also famous for his comedy films. In recent years, he has shifted towards television series. In 1999, he married actress Tu Pham.

Dien Trang Trang was born in 1952 in Beijing into a family with a rich tradition in cinema. Both of his parents were renowned actors in China and later became leaders of the Beijing Film Studio and the Beijing Children's Film Studio. In 1968, Dien Trang Trang joined the Chinese Liberation Army and served for 3 years before being discharged. It was during his military service that Dien Trang Trang began to explore photography and later filmmaking. After his discharge, he worked as an assistant cameraman at the Beijing Agricultural Film Studio. In 1978, after 3 years at the studio, Dien Trang Trang applied to study at the Beijing Film Academy and was accepted.

Although his educational journey faced many challenges due to his age, Dien Trang Trang produced remarkable films, such as the children's film Hong Sculpture (1982). In 1984, Dien Trang Trang directed his first feature film, The Ninth Month, followed by two experimental films, The Euphrates (1985) and Horse Thief (1986). These films, depicting ethnic minorities in China, garnered international acclaim, with Martin Scorsese considering Horse Thief one of his favorite films of the 1990s (the film was only released in the United States during this decade).

Hua An Hoa was born in 1947 in An Son, Lien Ninh, China. She is a female filmmaker in Hong Kong cinema. She began her film career in 1979 as a director, producer, and screenwriter. Hua An Hoa is considered one of the most prominent representatives of the Hong Kong New Wave cinema movement. She is also the most prominent female director in Hong Kong from the 1980s to the present, winning numerous prestigious film awards, including 6 Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Film and 6 awards for Best Director. Hua An Hoa surpasses Do Ky Phong and Phuong Duc Binh in the record for the most awards won by a director. Additionally, she has two films, Forty First Woman and Dao Ty, winning awards in 5 main categories: film, director, screenplay, leading actress, and leading actor.

She has many successful and famous films such as: In 1978, she made her first short film titled Lai Khach. In 1981, Hua An Hoa directed the second part of a Vietnamese trilogy titled The Story of Ho Viet. In 1990, she directed a deeply autobiographical film, Bitter Guest,...