Huo Jianqi (Chinese: 霍建起; born January 20, 1958) is a Chinese film director. Like the cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei, Huo Jianqi began his cinematic career in the art department.[1] Nearly all of Huo's films have been written by his wife and collaborator, Qiu Shi, who works under the name "Si Wu."[1] Unlike many of his contemporaries (and predecessors), Huo rarely has had issues with the Chinese government regarding his films, leading some western critics to label him the "darling director of China's film bureaucracy."[2]

Huo Jianqi
Born (1958-01-20) January 20, 1958 (age 66)
OccupationFilm director
SpouseQiu Shi
AwardsHuabiao Award for Outstanding Director
2000 A Love of Blueness
2003 Nuan
Shanghai Golden Goblet
2002 Life Show
Tokyo Grand Prix
2003 NuanGolden Rooster AwardsBest Film
1999 Postmen in the Mountains
2003 Nuan

Career

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Huo attended the Beijing Film Academy in the early 1980s as part of the "Fifth Generation" (which also included directors like Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige). After graduation, he worked as an art director, including on films such as Tian Zhuangzhuang's The Horse Thief (1986). Huo's own career as a director did not begin, however, until 1995 with The Winner and would not achieve true international success until his 1999 film, Postmen in the Mountains. The simple tale of a father and son traveling through the mountains of Hunan delivering mail proved a success in both China, where it eventually won the Golden Rooster for best film, best director, and best actor Teng Rujun, and abroad in foreign festivals. Upon its release in the United States, the film was praised by critics for its sincerity, critic Roger Ebert noted that the film was "so simple and straightforward that its buried emotions catch us a little by surprise."[3] Huo repeated that film's success with his subsequent project, including 2000's A Love of Blueness and 2002's Life Show (which won the Golden Goblet for best film at the Shanghai International Film Festival).

Huo scored another success with his adaptation of author Mo Yan's The White Dog and the Swing, entitled Nuan. The film, starring Guo Xiaodong and Li Jia in the title role, won the Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Film Festival,[2] as well as another best picture Golden Rooster.

Filmography

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Year English Title Chinese Title Notes
1995 The Winner 赢家
1997 The Singer 歌手
1999 Postmen in the Mountains 那山那人那狗 Golden Rooster for Best Picture
2000 A Love of Blueness 蓝色爱情
2002 Life Show 生活秀 Golden Goblet at the Shanghai International Film Festival
2003 Nuan Golden Rooster for Best Picture
2005 A Time to Love 情人结
2008 Li Shuangliang 时代愚公
2009 Snowfall in Taipei 台北飘雪
2011 The Seal of Love 秋之白华
2013 Falling Flowers 萧红
2015 Love in the 1980s 1980年代的爱情
2016 Xuanzang 大唐玄奘

References

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  1. ^ a b Franklin, Erica. "Reel Love: Interview with Huo Jianqi". Firecracker Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
  2. ^ a b Schwarzacher, Lukas (2003-11-10). "'Nuan' Wins Tokyo Kudos". Variety. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
  3. ^ Ebert, Roger (2004-12-31). "Postmen in the Mountains". The Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
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