Feng Xiaogang
Feng Xiaogang (simplified Chinese: 冯小刚; traditional Chinese: 馮小剛; pinyin: Féng Xiǎogāng; born 18 March 1958 in Beijing) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and politician. He is well known in China as a highly successful commercial filmmaker whose comedy films do consistently well at the box office, although Feng has broken out from that mold by making some drama and period drama films. Feng was a member of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC.[1]
Feng Xiaogang | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Feng at the 11th Asian Film Awards, Hong Kong, 2017 | |||||||
| Born | 18 March 1958 Beijing, China | ||||||
| Occupation(s) | Film director, actor, screenwriter | ||||||
| Years active | 1984 - present | ||||||
| Agent | Huayi Brothers | ||||||
| Spouses | |||||||
| Awards | Hong Kong Film Awards – Best Asian Film 2009 Assembly Golden Horse Awards – Best Adapted Screenplay 2005 A World Without Thieves Best Actor 2015 Mr. Six Hundred Flowers Awards – Best Director 2008 Assembly 2010 If You Are the One | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 馮小剛 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 冯小刚 | ||||||
| |||||||
Biography
The son of a college professor and a factory nurse, Feng joined the Beijing Military Region Art Troupe as a stage designer after high school. He began his cinema career as an art designer in the Beijing Television Art Center in 1985. Later, he moved on to write screenplays. During this period, he worked closely with director Zheng Xiaolong and writer Wang Shuo.
In the late 1990s, Feng established himself in a Chinese genre called "Hesui Pian (贺岁片)", or "New Year's Celebration Films." He became famous as the director of the movie The Dream Factory (1997). Professor Ying Zhu, an expert in Chinese cinema calls Feng's films 'talk of the nation' for their ability to check the pulse of Chinese society."[2] Jason McGrath, a University of Minnesota professor, believed that, having achieved success within mainland China in the face of Hollywood competition, "The entertainment cinema of Feng Xiaogang represents a new model of a Chinese national cinema that positions itself vis-à-vis Hollywood."[3]
Feng is renowned for making comedies in the Beijing dialect. Almost all of his films star Ge You in a leading role. In recent years, he has transitioned from solely making comedies to directing drama and period drama movies.
He married actress Xu Fan in 1999.
Filmography
As director
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Lost My Love | 永失我爱 | |
| 1997 | The Dream Factory | 甲方乙方 | 21st annual Hundred Flowers Awards -- Best Picture. |
| 1998 | Be There or Be Square | 不见不散 | |
| 1999 | Sorry Baby | 没完没了 | |
| 2000 | Sigh | 一声叹息 | Cairo International Film Festival -- Golden Pyramid. |
| 2001 | Big Shot's Funeral | 大腕 | 25th annual Hundred Flowers Awards—Best Picture. |
| 2003 | Cell Phone | 手机 | 27th annual Hundred Flowers Awards—Best Picture. |
| 2004 | A World Without Thieves | 天下无贼 | 42nd Golden Horse Awards—Best Adapted Screenplay (Feng Xiaogang, Wang Gang, Lin Lisheng and Zhang Jialu). |
| 2006 | The Banquet | 夜宴 | 43rd Golden Horse Awards—Best Art Direction, Best Make-up and Costume Design (Tim Yip). |
| 2007 | Assembly | 集结号 | 11th Pyongyang International Film Festival—Best Picture, Best Director.
15th Beijing College Student Film Festival—Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Zhang Hanyu). 29th annual Hundred Flowers Awards—Best Picture. 45th Golden Horse Awards—Best Actor (Zhang Hanyu), Best Adapted Screenplay (Liu Heng). 27th Golden Rooster Awards—Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography (Lü Yue), Best Original Score (Wang Liguang). |
| 2008 | If You Are the One | 非诚勿扰 | |
| 2010 | Aftershock | 唐山大地震 | Selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.[4] Awarded Best Film at the 2010 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.[5] |
| 2010 | If You Are the One 2 | 非诚勿扰2 | |
| 2012 | Back to 1942 | 一九四二 | China Film Director's Guild Awards—Best Film, Best Director. |
| 2013 | Personal Tailor | 私人订制 | |
| 2016 | I Am Not Madame Bovary[6] | 我不是潘金莲 | 24th Beijing College Student Film Festival—Best Director.
53rd Golden Horse Awards—Best Director. 10th Asia Pacific Screen Awards—Achievement in Directing. |
| 2017 | Youth | 芳华 |
As writer
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | After Separation | 大撒把 | |
| 1994 | A Born Coward | 天生胆小 | |
| 1997 | The Dream Factory | 甲方乙方 | |
| 2001 | Big Shot's Funeral | 大腕 | |
| 2004 | A World Without Thieves | 天下无贼 | 42nd Golden Horse Awards—Best Adapted Screenplay (Feng Xiaogang, Wang Gang, Lin Lisheng and Zhang Jialu). |
| 2008 | If You Are the One | 非诚勿扰 | |
| 2010 | If You Are the One 2 | 非诚勿扰2 |
As actor
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | In the Heat of the Sun | 阳光灿烂的日子 | Mr. Hu | |
| 1997 | The Dream Factory | 甲方乙方 | ||
| 2000 | Father | 冤家父子 | Ma Linsheng | |
| 2001 | The Marriage Certificate | 谁说我不在乎 | ||
| 2002 | Cala, My Dog! | 卡拉是条狗 | ||
| 2004 | Kung Fu Hustle | 功夫 | Crocodile Gang Boss | |
| 2005 | Wait 'Til You're Older | 童梦奇缘 | Drifter | |
| 2007 | Trivial Matters | 破事儿 | Marketing Officer for Assassins Group | |
| 2009 | The Founding of a Republic | 建国大业 | Du Yuesheng, Boss of the Shanghai Green Gang | |
| 2010 | True Legend | 苏乞儿 | Cameo | |
| 2010 | Let the Bullets Fly | 让子弹飞 | Private adviser | |
| 2012 | The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven | 大闹天宫 | ||
| 2015 | Mr. Six | 老炮儿 | Liu Ye | 23rd Beijing College Student Film Festival—Best Actor.
China Film Director's Guild Awards—Best Actor. Chinese Film Media Awards—Best Actor. 52nd Golden Horse Awards—Best Actor. |
| 2016 | Rock Dog | 摇滚藏獒 | Germur | Voice acting role |
References
- 马玉佳. "Feng Xiaogang wants traditional Chinese characters back". China.org.cn. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- Zhu, Ying (2007). "Feng Xiaogang and Chinese New Year Films". Asian Cinema. 18: 43–63. doi:10.1386/ac.18.1.43_1.
- McGrath, Jason. "Metacinema for the Masses: Three Films by Feng Xiaogang". Modern Chinese Literature and Culture. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
- Coonan, Clifford (27 September 2010). "China sends 'Aftershock' to Oscars". Variety. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
- "APSA Nominees & Winners".
- Edwards, Russell (22 November 2016). "Feng tops Chinese box office despite alleged Wanda boycott". www.atimes.com. Retrieved 2 December 2016.