Chen Kaige
Known for
Chen Kaige is a Chinese director born in Beijing, a leading figure of China's Fifth Generation of filmmakers who emerged after the Cultural Revolution. Yellow Earth, an early landmark examining rural poverty in 1930s China, established the movement's visually striking, politically searching aesthetic. Farewell My Concubine, tracing two Peking opera performers' relationship across decades of tumultuous twentieth-century Chinese history including the Cultural Revolution, won the Palme d'Or and became the most internationally celebrated Chinese film of its era. The Promise and Legend of the Demon Cat showed his later shift toward large-scale fantasy epic, while The Battle at Lake Changjin, a state-supported war epic, became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films ever released. Chen's arc from politically searching art cinema to major state-backed spectacle mirrors the broader trajectory of Chinese cinema's relationship with global and domestic audiences.
Chen Kaige
26 Directed
1 Series
Chen Kaige is a Chinese director born in Beijing, a leading figure of China's Fifth Generation of filmmakers who emerged after the Cultural Revolution. Yellow Earth, an early landmark examining rural poverty in 1930s China, established the movement's visually striking, politically searching aesthetic. Farewell My Concubine, tracing two Peking opera performers' relationship across decades of tumultuous twentieth-century Chinese history including the Cultural Revolution, won the Palme d'Or and became the most internationally celebrated Chinese film of its era. The Promise and Legend of the Demon Cat showed his later shift toward large-scale fantasy epic, while The Battle at Lake Changjin, a state-supported war epic, became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films ever released. Chen's arc from politically searching art cinema to major state-backed spectacle mirrors the broader trajectory of Chinese cinema's relationship with global and domestic audiences.
Movies
Director
Farewell My Concubine
1993
Director
Killing Me Softly
2002
Director
To Each His Own Cinema
2007
Director
The Battle at Lake Changjin
2021
Director
The Battle at Lake Changjin II: Water Gate Bridge
2022
Director
The Promise
2005
Director
The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death
2024
Director
The Volunteers: Peace at Last
2025
Director
Monk Comes Down the Mountain
2015
Director
Legend of the Demon Cat
2017
Director
Yellow Earth
1984
Director
The Emperor and the Assassin
1998
Director
The Volunteers: To the War
2023
Director
Together
2002
Director
My People, My Country
2019
Director
Temptress Moon
1996
Director
Sacrifice
2010
Director
Forever Enthralled
2008
Director
Caught in the Web
2012
Director
Life on a String
1991
Director
King of the Children
1987
Director
The Big Parade
1986
TV Shows
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
The Founding of a Republic
Full Filmography
The Volunteers: Peace at Last
Director
2025
Film
The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death
Director
2024
Film
The Volunteers: To the War
Director
2023
Film
The Battle at Lake Changjin II: Water Gate Bridge
Director
2022
Film
The Battle at Lake Changjin
Director
2021
Film
Shu Zhen
Director
2020
Film
My People, My Country
Director
2019
Film
Legend of the Demon Cat
Director
2017
Film
Monk Comes Down the Mountain
Director
2015
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Chen Kaige and where are they from?
Chen Kaige is 74 years old, born on August 12, 1952 in Beijing, China.
What are the most famous roles of Chen Kaige?
Chen Kaige is best known for directing Farewell My Concubine, Killing Me Softly, To Each His Own Cinema.
How many movies has Chen Kaige directed?
Over a 42-year career (since 1984), Chen Kaige has directed or written 26 films and worked on 1 TV shows.
What was Chen Kaige's first movie?
The career of Chen Kaige began with Swan Song ().
What is Chen Kaige's most recent movie or series?
Chen Kaige's most recent release is The Volunteers: Peace at Last, which premiered on September 30, 2025.
What TV shows has Chen Kaige created or directed?
On television, Chen Kaige has appeared in 吕布与貂蝉, 风禾尽起张居正.
Chen Kaige
1952-08-12 · Beijing, China
Chen Kaige (陈凯歌) is a Chinese film director born on born August 12, 1952. He is a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. His films are known for their visual flair and epic storytelling.