---
name: "Andrew Lau"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/andrew-lau-wai-keung"
fi1m_id: "andrew-lau-wai-keung"
imdb_id: "nm0490487"
tmdb_id: 65994
wikidata_id: "Q715330"
roles: ["Producer","Director"]
born: "4 April 1960"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_as: "producer"
average_over: 0
updated: "2026-09-17T17:49:26.451690+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Andrew Lau

## Identity

Andrew Lau

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/andrew-lau-wai-keung
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** andrew-lau-wai-keung
- **IMDb ID:** nm0490487
- **TMDB ID:** 65994
- **Wikidata ID:** Q715330
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lau, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q715330, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490487/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/65994

Producer and director. Born 4 April 1960 in Hong Kong, China.

## Details

- **Work:** Producer, Director
- **Born:** 4 April 1960, Hong Kong, China
- **Active:** 1994–2006
- **Also known as:** Andrew Lau Wai-Keung, Andrew Lau Wai Keung, Andrew Lau Wai-keung, Lau Wai-keung
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 1 directing, 2 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Tony Leung](https://film.one/person/tony-leung-chiu-wai.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 85 (1), 2000s 86 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lau, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q715330, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0490487/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/65994

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Infernal Affairs*](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md) (87), [*Chungking Express*](https://film.one/film/chungking-express.md) (85)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Andrew Lau

> Andrew Lau brings a restless camera and a taste for polish to crime and action films. We recommend *Infernal Affairs*, which he produced and co-directed, for keeping its attention on the people doing the deceiving.

In *Infernal Affairs* (2002), Tony Leung Chiu-wai looks worn out by the work of concealing himself, while Andy Lau seems to inspect each expression before allowing it onto his face. Andrew Lau and co-director Alan Mak know to keep looking at them. This is a tense, unusually attentive crime thriller, built around a policeman among criminals and a criminal inside the police. We felt anxious even in Leung's quieter moments, because his watchfulness makes it clear that he cannot afford to relax.

That concern with faces sits within a career spent finding ways to keep familiar genres moving. *Young and Dangerous* (1996), his breakthrough as director and cinematographer, adapted comics about triad life and also drew criticism for making that life attractive. *The Storm Riders* (1998) took him towards extensive computer-generated effects in martial-arts filmmaking. He later co-directed the street-racing manga adaptation *Initial D* (2005) with Mak, and directed *The Captain* (2019) as his work extended into mainland Chinese production.

Lau established Basic Pictures in 2002, and took three jobs on *Infernal Affairs*: producer, co-director and cinematographer. Sharing the photography with Lai Yiu-Fai, he uses restless camera movement to follow people watching one another and weighing what they have heard. The sheen could have made all this seem remote, but the camera keeps returning to faces. It is hard to romanticise this occupation when Leung makes it look so punishing.

The script's parallels occasionally feel too tidy, with the two infiltrators matched more neatly than we might believe. At 101 minutes, though, the film moves quickly without hurrying past the effort it takes these men to keep their stories straight. Lau and Mak trust small changes of expression to hold our attention, and the actors repay that trust. Start with *Infernal Affairs*, and resist the temptation to do anything else while it is on.

## Biography

Andrew Lau Wai-Keung (also credited as Andrew Lau) is a Hong Kong film director, producer and cinematographer. He began his career in the 1980s as a cinematographer, working with directors including Ringo Lam, Wong Jing and Wong Kar-wai. His credits include the first segment of *Chungking Express* (1994).

Lau made his directorial debut with *Against All* (1990) and continued to serve as cinematographer on many of his projects. He is best known for the *Young and Dangerous* series (from 1996) and the *Infernal Affairs* trilogy (2002–2003), co-directed with Alan Mak. He has also directed films in mainland China, South Korea and the United States, including *Initial D* (2005) and *The Captain* (2019).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Directed (1)

- *Infernal Affairs* (2002), Fi1m 87, Producer, Director, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md)

### Crew (2)

- *The Departed* (2006), Fi1m 84, Other — [page](https://film.one/film/the-departed.md)
- *Chungking Express* (1994), Fi1m 85, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/chungking-express.md)

## Complete filmography (132)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Crossing* (2026), Executive Producer
- *Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe* (2026), Thanks
- *The Dumpling Queen* (2025), Director, Executive Producer, Director of Photography
- *Battle of Shangganling* (2024), series, Director
- *Formed Police Unit* (2024), Executive Producer
- *Kung Fu Stuntmen* (2021), Actor
- *Chinese Doctors* (2021), Director, Executive Producer
- *The Captain* (2019), Director of Photography, Director
- *The Bravest* (2019), Executive Producer
- *Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy* (2019), Producer
- *Kung Fu Monster* (2018), Producer, Director
- *Golden Job* (2018), Actor
- *The Founding of an Army* (2017), Director of Photography, Director
- *From Vegas to Macau III* (2016), Director, Producer
- *Keeper of Darkness* (2015), as Director
- *I Am Somebody* (2015), Actor
- *From Vegas to Macau II* (2015), Producer, Director of Photography
- *Kung Fu Jungle* (2014), as Y.T.M. District Officer
- *Revenge of the Green Dragons* (2014), Producer, Director
- *From Vegas to Macau* (2014), Producer
- *Once Upon a Time in Shanghai* (2014), Producer
- *As the Light Goes Out* (2014), as Director of Fire Services - Fong Sir
- *The Rooftop* (2013), Actor
- *The Last Tycoon* (2012), Producer, Director of Photography
- *The Guillotines* (2012), as Yongzheng Emperor · Director, Producer
- *Tai Chi Zero* (2012), as Father Yang
- *A Simple Life* (2012), as Guest at Premiere
- *Dear Enemy* (2011), Producer
- *A Beautiful Life* (2011), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *Haunted Changi* (2010), Director
- *Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen* (2010), Director, Director of Photography
- *Look for a Star* (2009), Director
- *Fate* (2008), Cinematography
- *The Flock* (2007), Director, Producer
- *Undercover* (2007), Cinematography
- *A Mob Story* (2007), Producer
- *The Haunted School* (2007), Cinematography
- *Confession of Pain* (2006), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *The Departed* (2006), as Other — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-departed.md)
- *The Third Eye* (2006), Producer
- *Daisy* (2006), Director
- *无间道正序版* (2006), Director
- *Moonlight in Tokyo* (2005), Cinematography
- *Initial D* (2005), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *Infernal Affairs III* (2003), Director, Producer, Director of Photography
- *The Park* (2003), Producer, Director, Director of Photography, Cinematography
- *Infernal Affairs II* (2003), Producer, Director, Director of Photography
- *1:99 Shorts* (2003), Director
- *Cat and Mouse* (2003), Producer, Director of Photography
- *Infernal Affairs* (2002), Producer, Director, Director of Photography — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md)
- *The Runaway Pistol* (2002), Producer
- *Women from Mars* (2002), Director
- *The Wesley's Mysterious File* (2002), Director, Director of Photography
- *Dance of a Dream* (2001), Director of Photography, Producer, Director
- *The Avenging Fist* (2001), Director
- *Bullets of Love* (2001), Director
- *Born to Be King* (2000), Director
- *Sausalito* (2000), Director
- *The Duel* (2000), Director, Director of Photography
- *The Legend of Speed* (1999), Director, Director of Photography
- *A Man Called Hero* (1999), Director, Director of Photography
- *The Storm Riders* (1998), Director, Director of Photography
- *Young and Dangerous: The Prequel* (1998), Director
- *Young and Dangerous 5* (1998), Director
- *We're No Bad Guys* (1997), Producer
- *Young and Dangerous 4* (1997), Director
- *Till Death Do Us Laugh* (1996), Producer
- *Best of the Best* (1996), Director
- *Growing Up* (1996), Actor
- *War of the Underworld* (1996), Producer
- *Feel 100%* (1996), Producer
- *Young and Dangerous 3* (1996), Director, Director of Photography
- *Street Angels* (1996), Producer
- *Young and Dangerous 2* (1996), Director, Director of Photography
- *Young and Dangerous* (1996), Director, Director of Photography
- *I'm Your Birthday Cake* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Sixty Million Dollar Man* (1995), Director of Photography
- *The Saint of Gamblers* (1995), Director of Photography
- *Mean Street Story* (1995), Director, Director of Photography
- *Lover of the Last Empress* (1995), Director
- *1941 Hong Kong on Fire* (1994), Producer
- *To Live and Die in Tsimshatsui* (1994), Director
- *Chungking Express* (1994), Director of Photography — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/chungking-express.md)
- *Modern Romance* (1994), Director
- *He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Ghost Lantern* (1993), Director
- *Perfect Exchange* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Future Cops* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Crime Story* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Hero - Beyond the Boundary of Time* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Raped by an Angel* (1993), Director
- *The Eagle Shooting Heroes* (1993), Cinematography
- *Once Upon a Time in China III* (1993), Director of Photography
- *Wicked City* (1992), Director of Photography
- *The Days of Being Dumb* (1992), Director of Photography
- *Rhythm of Destiny* (1992), Director
- *Shogun and Little Kitchen* (1992), Cinematography
- *Twin Dragons* (1992), as Party Guest
- *Inspiration Nightmare* (1992), Actor
- *The Banquet* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Red Shield* (1991), Additional Photography
- *Lee Rock II* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Lee Rock* (1991), Director of Photography
- *Legend of the Dragon* (1991), Director of Photography
- *The Ultimate Vampire* (1991), Director, Director of Photography
- *Against All* (1990), Director, Director of Photography
- *Days of Being Wild* (1990), Cinematography
- *Rebel from China* (1990), Second Unit Director of Photography
- *Curry & Pepper* (1990), as CID · Director of Photography
- *The Unmatchable Match* (1990), Director of Photography
- *Return Engagement* (1990), Director of Photography
- *China White* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Wild Search* (1989), Director of Photography
- *News Attack* (1989), Cinematography
- *The First Time is the Last Time* (1989), Director of Photography
- *Little Cop* (1989), as Director of Photography
- *Gunmen* (1988), Cinematography
- *As Tears Go By* (1988), Director of Photography
- *The Inspector Wears Skirts* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Mr. Vampire III* (1987), Cinematography
- *The Thirty Million Dollar Rush* (1987), Director of Photography
- *City on Fire* (1987), Director of Photography
- *Armour of God* (1986), as Focus Puller
- *Mr. Vampire II* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Where's Officer Tuba?* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Millionaires' Express* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Mr. Vampire* (1985), Cinematography
- *My Lucky Stars* (1985), as Focus Puller
- *Playboy Doctor* (1984), Cinematography
- *Shanghai Blues* (1984), as Focus Puller
- *Play Catch* (1983), Cinematography
- *冒名頂替*, Producer

## Gallery

- ![Andrew Lau](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-2db62b4b7470.jpg) Andrew Lau — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_Dec-2017_IX1_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-1998d8cb6564.jpg) HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017 — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_n_Chan_Gor_Fruit_n_David_Lee_Kwong-Yiu_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg/1280px-HK_KT_HKFDG_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_n_Chan_Gor_Fruit_n_David_Lee_Kwong-Yiu_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-7241a1fbccc5.jpg) HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017 — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E7%BE%85%E8%80%80%E8%BC%9D_Luo_Yaohui%2C_Andy_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_n_%E8%8E%8A%E6%96%87%E5%BC%B7_Chong_Man-Keung_Felix_n_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg/1280px-HK_KT_HKFDG_%E7%BE%85%E8%80%80%E8%BC%9D_Luo_Yaohui%2C_Andy_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_n_%E8%8E%8A%E6%96%87%E5%BC%B7_Chong_Man-Keung_Felix_n_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-aaa190ffa789.jpg) HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017 — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E7%BE%85%E8%80%80%E8%BC%9D_Luo_Yaohui%2C_Andy_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_n_%E8%8E%8A%E6%96%87%E5%BC%B7_Chong_Man-Keung_Felix_n_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_Dec-2017_IX1_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Andrew Lau](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-8f0420e162e2.jpg) Andrew Lau — Image via TMDB
- ![HK KT HKFDG zh:關信輝 Adrian Kwan Shun-Fai zh:劉偉強 Andrew Lau Wai-Keung zh:郭子健 Derek Kwok Chi-Kin n zh:李光耀 導演 David Lee Kwong Yiu in December 2017](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-6fea58382b8f.jpg) HK KT HKFDG zh:關信輝 Adrian Kwan Shun-Fai zh:劉偉強 Andrew Lau Wai-Keung zh:郭子健 Derek Kwok Chi-Kin n zh:李光耀 導演 David Lee Kwong Yiu in December 2017 — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/39/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E9%97%9C%E4%BF%A1%E8%BC%9D_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_n_%E6%9D%8E%E5%85%89%E8%80%80_%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94_David_Lee_Kwong_Yiu_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg/1280px-HK_KT_HKFDG_%E9%97%9C%E4%BF%A1%E8%BC%9D_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_n_%E6%9D%8E%E5%85%89%E8%80%80_%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94_David_Lee_Kwong_Yiu_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017](https://film.one/media/person/84187/gallery-072c1538bb69.jpg) HK Kwun Tong zh:香港電影導演會 HKFDG movie directorship talk in December 2017 — MAICHANGUWAILI, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/HK_KT_HKFDG_%E9%99%B3%E6%9E%9C_Fruit_Chan_Gor_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_David_Lee_Kwong_Yiu_n_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg/1280px-HK_KT_HKFDG_%E9%99%B3%E6%9E%9C_Fruit_Chan_Gor_%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E5%BC%B7_Andrew_Lau_Wai-Keung_%E9%83%AD%E5%AD%90%E5%81%A5_Derek_Kwok_Chi-Kin_David_Lee_Kwong_Yiu_n_Adrian_Kwan_Shun-Fai_Dec-2017_IX1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won

- Golden Horse Award for Best Director 2003: Golden Horse Award for Best Director (won), for *Infernal Affairs*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/andrew-lau-wai-keung