He Ping (director)

He Ping (Chinese: 何平; pinyin: Hé Píng; 7 May 1957 – 10 January 2023) was a Chinese film director, screenwriter and producer born in Shanxi whose main filmography consists of a hybrid genre of Western-wuxia movies. He made three movies along this genre - Swordsmen in Double Flag Town (1991), Sun Valley (1995) and Warriors of Heaven and Earth (2004).

Not to be confused with Ho Ping, the Taiwanese director.
In this Chinese name, the family name is He.

He Ping
何平
Photo Portrait of He Ping
Born(1957-05-07)7 May 1957
Shanxi, China
Died (aged 65)
Beijing, China
OccupationFilm director
Years active1980s–2023
AwardsGolden Rooster Awards – Best Director:
1994 Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker

Personal life and background

He Ping's mother was the female lead in Communist China's first feature film Bridge (1949). She was an ethnic Manchu whose ancestors were members of the Blue Banners, while He Ping's father was Han Chinese.

He Ping died in Beijing, China on 10 January 2023, at the age of 65.[1]

Directorial career

He Ping began his directorial career in the 1980s, directing stage productions and documentary films.[2] By the late 1980s, He transferred to the Xi'an Film Studio, where he began directing fiction films, including We Are the World and Kawashima Yoshiko a film based on the story of the Manchurian-Japanese princess, Kawashima Yoshiko.[2] In the 1990s, He directed two major Chinese Westerns, Swordsmen in Double Flag Town and Sun Valley, and the historical drama Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker. Swordsmen in Double Flag Town went on to win the Grand Prize at the 3rd Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival in February 1992.[3] Sun Valley was entered into the 46th Berlin International Film Festival where it won an Honourable Mention.[4]

In the 2000s, He struck success with his 2004 adventure film Warriors of Heaven and Earth, starring Jiang Wen. He Ping's followed this with another historical action film, Wheat, starring Fan Bingbing, which was released in 2009.

His film The Promised Land received an honorable mention from the Platform jury at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.[5]

Filmography
Film
Year English title Chinese title Role Notes
1988We Are the World我们是世界
1989Kawashima Yoshiko川岛芳子
1991Swordsmen in Double Flag Town双旗镇刀客Japan Yobari International Film Festival Best and Fantasy Adventure Film Awards.
Berlin International Film Festival Young Director.
Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Mandarin Slice 10.
Shanghai Critic-named China's Top Photographer Award.
1994Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker炮打双灯Hawaii International Film Festival Best Film
Golden Rooster Award for Best Director
Golden Rooster Award for Best Co-produced Film
Golden Rooster Award for Best Art Direction
Taiwan Critics Award.
1995Sun Valley日光峡谷
2004Warriors of Heaven and Earth天地英雄
2009Wheat麦田
2015The Promised Land

References
  1. 娱理 (10 January 2023). "著名导演何平于1957年10月生于山西省太原市……". k.sina.cn. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  2. Zhang, Yingjin & Xiao, Zhiwei (1998). "He Ping" in Encyclopedia of Chinese Film. Taylor & Francis, p. 183. ISBN 0-415-15168-6.
  3. "YUBARI INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL'92". yubarifanta.com. Retrieved 19 September 2009. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  4. "Berlinale: 1996 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  5. "Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2015 Award Winners" (PDF) (Press release). TIFF. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
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