姜文 Jiang Wen
Who he is: A highly regarded Chinese leading-man-turned-director/screenwriter.
From: Hebei
Filmography highlights:
In the Heat of the Sun (阳光灿烂的日子), 1994
Set in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution, In the Heat of the Sun is told from the perspective of a boy coming of age during an impossibly turbulent time. Yet in spite of this turbulence, he enjoys an unprecedented amount of freedom, a common experience for many who grew up during this time in China.
Devils on the Doorstep《鬼子来了》(2000)
Once banned in China for its controversial subject matter, Devil's on the Doorstep is set in the final years of the Second Sino-Japanese War during World War II and tells the story of a Chinese villager who is forced by a mysterious figure to take custody of two prisoners from the Japanese Army. Fearing both the mystery man and the Japanese forces, the village falls into a dilemma over what to do with the two prisoners.
The Sun Also Rises《太阳照常升起》(2007)
This movie is the polyptych of interconnected stories in different points in history, shifting between a Yunnan village, a college campus, and the Gobi Desert. It was screened in competition at the Venice International Film Festival and nominated for a Golden Lion.
Let the Bullets Fly《让子弹飞》(2010)
Set in Sichuan during the 1920s, Let the Bullets Fly is about a robber named Zhang who, along with his gang, descends upon a town to pose as its new mayor and finds himself at odds with a local crime boss. It's been described by many as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly set in the Chinese Warlord Era.
Trademarks: Kooky comedy with an intense edge, controversial topics, great casting, and a penchant for period pieces, e.g.: The Cultural Revolution, the Japanese Occupation, Warlord Era.
What else? Though it might be lost on those not well-versed in Chinese history, Jiang has sense of humor and a uniquely deep understanding of human nature. The way he presents color (often strong and dream-like) and sexuality is undeniably outstanding. His films also feature great music (check out Japanese musician Hisashi's "The Sun also Rises" from Let the Bullets Fly).
张艺谋 Zhang Yimou
Who he is: The most successful director of China's so-called "Fifth Generation" movement, Zhang Yimou's recent works are mostly big-budget historical epics. He's also a producer, writer, and actor.
From: Sha'anxi
Filmography highlights:
Red Sorghum《红高粱》(1987)
This lush and lusty adaptation of the classic Mo Yan Novel by the same name, immediately vaulted Zhang to the forefront of the Fifth Generation directors. It's set in the northern province of Shandong during the 1920's and early 30's and tells the story of a young bride on her way to an arranged marriage with the leprous owner of a distillery and later takes over her mysteriously dead husband's business only to suffer an even worse fate during the Japanese invasion.
Raise the Red Lantern《大红灯笼高高挂》(1991)
Set in 1920's China, this adaptation from a Su Tong novel tells the story of a young woman who becomes a wealthy man's concubine. It features opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colors. It also stirred up quite a bit of controversy in its day. Although government censors approved the script, the final version of the film was banned in China for a time. To this day, some film critics interpret Raise the Red Lantern as a thinly veiled allegory against authoritarianism.
To Live《活着》(1994)
To Live was also banned in China, and the authorities barred him from making films for two years. The story is about a couple who had their personal fortunes taken away. A degenerate gambler of a husband loses everything, and his wife is forced into menial work. Still, they raise a family and manage "to live" from the 40's to the 70's.
Trademark: Zhang Yimou is famous for his magnificent visuals. His early films focused on the resilience of Chinese people in the face of hardship and adversity. More recently he has gravitated more toward blockbuster period pieces. His movies often star his muse, Gong Li.
What else? He directed the 2008 Beijing Olympic opening and closing ceremonies—arguably the most spectacular in recent memory. He also got himself in some highly publicized trouble for violating China's one-child policy. In more recent years, he's worked with Taiwanese pop singer Jay Chou (Curse of the Golden Flower), comedians Xiao Shenyang (A Simple Noodle Story) and Christian Bale (The Flowers of War) to great box office success.
冯小刚 Feng Xiaogang
Who: the most successful commercial filmmaker in Mainland China, he's also a writer and a fairly good comedian.
From: Beijing
Filmography highlights:
Dream Factory《甲方乙方》(1997)
Four unemployed young people start a company called Dream Tour, in which each of them play different roles in order to fulfill people's wishes. Dream Factory achieved massive box office success and was Feng's breakthrough film. Stream the full film here.
Be There or Be Square《不见不散》(1998),
Ge You and Xu Fan play as a couple of Beijing natives working in Los Angeles, California. Somehow, their paths continuously cross and, and each encounter is met with some kind of disaster. The film follows their attempts to balance their careers with friendship and love. It's best known for it's hilarious dialogue, and is considered by many to be Feng's defining work. Stream it here
Assembly 《集结号》 (2007)
This ambitious big-budget war drama follows one soldier's travails through the Chinese Civil War, the subsequent Korean conflict, and his later attempts to buck Modern China's bureaucracy in the hopes of getting recognized for his bravery. Stream it right here.
Trademarks: Beijing-style comedies, "Hesui Pian" (贺岁片, New Year's Celebration Films). His comedies are referred to as "Feng Shi Xi Ju" (冯氏喜剧). His films are honest stories about ordinary people. Feng often collaborates with chrome-domed comedic actor Ge You and his wife, Xu Fan.
What else? He doesn't have an academy background like other directors of the Fifth Generation nor is he interested in being associated with the movement. His films are box office gold, and he was the first director to break 1 billion in ticket sales in China. Naturally, he's attracted his fair share of criticism. Detractors write Feng's work off as insipid, calling him "diao si" (a Chinese insult that basically means "a disgrace to human intellgence"). He's even gotten into some ugly exchanges about it on Weibo.
贾樟柯 Jia Zhangke
Who he is: A screenwriter and leading figure of the so-called "Sixth Generation” of Chinese directors.
From: Shanxi
Filmography highlights:
Xiao Wu《小武》(1997)
Jia emerged from the film underground scene with this story of a poor pickpocket living on the fringes of Chinese society. It received a full-throated from Martin Scorsese, which certainly doesn't hurt either.
The World《世界》(2004),
This was the first film by Jia that the Chinese government actually approved for release in the Mainland. It deals with the complicated relationship between two Beijing World Park workers, one a dancer, the other a security guard. The Park serves as a way of discussing confusion about and ignorance of the greater oustside world.
Still Life 《三峡好人》 (2006),
Literally translated "Good people of the Three Gorges," Still Life takes place when entire towns and communities were destroyed to build the Three Gorges Dam. It tells the story of two people in search of their spouses, one a miner who hadn't seen his ex-wife in 16 years, the other a nurse who after two years apart from her husband wants a divorce. It won the 2006 Golden Lion Award for Best Film, making Jia the second Chinese Mainland filmmaker to receive this award (Zhang Yimou was the first).
A Touch of Sin《天注定》(2013)
Jia weaves together four shocking, but true, stories: a disgruntled Shanxi miner who retaliates against his corrupt superiors by murdering them; a Chongqing serial killer/robber; a young, naive, Hunanese factory worker in Guangdong who throws himself from his dorm window; and a Hubei woman working at a sauna (brothel) as receptionist, who stabs an abusive cadre to death. Heavy, grim stuff, but it's good. It was even awarded the prize for "Best Screenplay" at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
Trademark: For obvious reasons, Jia's works don't go over to well with the Chinese authorities. His work runs counter to the bromidic notions of the "Chinese Dream" or the "Harmonious Society" that we keep hearing about. Indiewire sums his work up nicely as portraying the "dislocation, alienation, and social and economic inequality in the 'new' China."
What else? Jia is a latecomer to the Sixth Generation of Chinese directors, but his works, especially the trilogy of Gu Xiang (Xiao Wu, Platform, and Unknown Pleasures) have brought him to the forefront of the movement.
王全安 Wang Quanan
Who he is: Another leading figure of the "Sixth Generation" and the third Chinese director to garner high praise at the Berlin International Film Festival.
From: Yan'an
Filmography highlights:
Tuya's Marriage《图雅的婚事》(2006)
This was Wang's breakthrough work, and won him the "Golden Bear" prize at the 2007 Berlin International Festival. Set in Mongolia, it features only one professional actor, Yu Nan, Wang's ex-wife. She plays Tuya, a strong woman with a disabled husband, who decides to get a divorce and find a man who will take care of them and their children. As you can well imagine, much searing drama ensues.
Apart Together《团圆》(2010)
Winner of the "Best Screenplay" award at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, Apart Together is about a Taiwanese veteran who returns to Shanghai to find his estranged wife and a son he's never met, only to discover live has gone on without him. Regardless, he resolves to bring his family back to Taiwan with him.
White Deer Plain《白鹿原》(2011)
Another big winner at the Berlin Film Festival, White Plain Deeris an epic Chinese drama about two peasant families throughout several decades. It's a gripping portrayal of peasant life in northern China. Much of the film's dialogue is even spoken in the Shanxi dialect. Unfortunately, it had a lot of naughty bits in it deemed too hot for China's theatrical release, so a great deal of it ended up on the editing room floor. Just keep an eye peeled for a copy of the director's cut.
Trademarks: Where fellow Sixth Generation filmmaker Jiang Zhangke focuses on the urban working class, Wang's works deal mostly with China's rural denizens.
What else? Up to now, Wang's opus is still small, but his uncompromising vision, and unwillingness to kowtow to commercial interests has garnered him a lot of critical acclaim. Ooh! And here is a juicy bit. He got arrested in Beijing last month for soliciting a prostitute.
Look out for his upcoming film about famed Shanghai gangster "Big Ears" Du Yuesheng called The Bund.
宁浩 Ning Hao
Who he is: The most successful young director and writer in China at the moment.
From: Shanxi
Filmography highlights:
Crazy Stone《疯狂的石头》(2006),
Silver screen star and crooner Andy Lau produced this convoluted and comedic heist flick. It tells the story of a precious piece of jade and a team of three bumbling, but determined thieves. It's rife with dark humor, clever word play, and sly references to films like Mission: Impossible and Infernal Affairs.
Silver Medalist《疯狂的赛车》(2009),
Ning Hao's follow-up to Crazy Stone is a screwball comedy about a champion cyclist who's down on his luck and his happenstance meeting with a Thai drug smuggler who's figured out a unique way to smuggle cocaine into China.
No Man's Land 《无人区》 (2013)
Set in the northwestern deserts of China, smart, young lawyer with a certain amount of moral flexibility helps to get a poacher acquitted. When the poacher fails to pay his fees on time, the lawyer threatens to reveal the truth about his former client's dirty dealings. A series of strange and dangerous events ensue.
Trademarks: Absurd and groundbreaking crime thrillers and comedies. Ning is adept at weaving multiple complex story lines. He's also been able to achieve huge commercial success with a minimal budget.
What else? Crazy Stone is full of various Chinese dialects and rife with distinctively Chinese humor. Because of its complicated plot, many film buffs have liken it to Guy Richie's debut film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
刁亦男 Diao Yinan
Who he is: Director and screenwriter.
From: Sha'anxi
Filmography highlights:
Night Train《夜行列车》(2007)
Wu Hongyan is a widowed prison guard who has lived alone for 10 years. She meets a man who later turns out to be the widower of one of Wu's executed prisoners. Sounds kind of familiar, actually.
Black Coal, Thin Ice《白日焰火》(2014)
Taiwanese actress Gui Lunmei plays Wu Zhizhen, a femme fatale involved in a series of murders. Detective Zhang Zili (Liao Fan) investigates her and is enthralled. It's the classic film noir premise. Black Coal, Thin Ice has enjoyed a lot of accolades this year, most notably the award for "Best Film" at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Leading man Liao Fan also became the first Chinese actor to win in Best actor category. Stream it here
Trademarks: Depressive, dark, and deeply symbolic detective thrillers. His scripts are inspired by authors like Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Chandler and genres like European film noir.
What else? He's flown under the radar for the last ten years, but Diao has long been regarded as the leading figure among Chinese avant-garde screenwriters. He's an acolyte of Jia Zhangke, who helped him shoot his directorial debut, Night Train.
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