---
name: "Chen Kaige"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chen-kaige"
fi1m_id: "chen-kaige"
imdb_id: "nm0155280"
tmdb_id: 20640
wikidata_id: "Q202597"
roles: ["Director","Producer"]
born: "12 August 1952"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 53
average_as: "director"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T16:10:41.870713+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."
---

# Chen Kaige

## Identity

Chen Kaige

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chen-kaige
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chen-kaige
- **IMDb ID:** nm0155280
- **TMDB ID:** 20640
- **Wikidata ID:** Q202597
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Kaige, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202597, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155280/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20640

Director and producer. Born 12 August 1952 in Beijing, China.

## Details

- **Work:** Director, Producer
- **Born:** 12 August 1952, Beijing, China
- **Active:** 1987–present
- **Also known as:** 천카이거, 첸 카이거, Kaige Chen, 첸카이거, 천 카이거, 陈皑鸽
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 1 acting, 3 directing
- **Frequently works with:** [Huang Jianxin](https://film.one/person/huang-jianxin.md), [Dante Lam Chiu-yin](https://film.one/person/dante-lam-chiu-yin.md), [Jackson Yee](https://film.one/person/jackson-yee.md), [Lan Xiaolong](https://film.one/person/lan-xiaolong.md), [Tsui Hark](https://film.one/person/tsui-hark.md), [Wu Jing](https://film.one/person/wu-jing.md), [Zhu Yawen](https://film.one/person/zhu-yawen.md)
- **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 53, as director, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (1), 1990s 85 (1), 2020s 38 (2)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 2, War 2, Action 1, History 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $1,535m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Kaige, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202597, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0155280/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20640

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Farewell My Concubine*](https://film.one/film/farewell-my-concubine.md) (85)
- **Tubi:** [*The Battle at Lake Changjin*](https://film.one/film/the-battle-at-lake-changjin.md) (36)

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

## Fi1m on Chen Kaige

> Chen Kaige is at his most persuasive when the people in his historical dramas matter more than the spectacle. We rate *Farewell My Concubine* highly for precisely that reason, despite plotting that sometimes pushes too hard.

In *Farewell My Concubine* (1993), two Peking Opera performers cannot keep their feelings out of their work. Chen Kaige lets us see why they remain attached even when they are making each other unhappy. We were moved by that persistence, because he makes their attachment understandable without pretending it is good for them. Leslie Cheung gives the troubled relationships their force. This is the Chen we rate highly: a director who allows people to be difficult without making us give up on them.

Chen began directing with *Yellow Earth* (1984), as part of China’s Fifth Generation of filmmakers. His collaborators include cinematographer Zhang Yimou, and the early work gives considerable attention to landscape and austere rural settings. Later came the elaborate period reconstructions of films such as *Temptress Moon* (1996) and *The Emperor and the Assassin* (1998). Personal betrayal recurs across his work, giving those broad historical stories something painful to concentrate on.

*Farewell My Concubine* shows why that interest suits him. Across its 171 minutes, the performers’ different wants remain clear, so the long span of Chinese history never becomes the only thing to attend to. The plotting sometimes pushes too hard, insisting on pain that the actors have already made us understand. We would welcome a little less insistence from the plot; the performances already give us ample reason to stay.

He also made the English-language thriller *Killing Me Softly* (2002) and the intimate father-son story *Together* (2002), so scale has never been his only interest. The fantasy *The Promise* (2005) brought complaints about convoluted plotting and stylistic excess. Large historical productions became more prominent from the 2010s, with Chen co-directing *The Battle at Lake Changjin* (2021). That makes for a less tidy career than a few sumptuous images might suggest. Start with *Farewell My Concubine*, and set aside an uninterrupted evening for Cheung.

## Biography

Chen Kaige (born 12 August 1952) is a Chinese film director. He graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982 after earlier work in a film processing factory and service in the People's Liberation Army. He belongs to the fifth generation of Chinese filmmakers.

His first feature was *Yellow Earth* (1984). He is best known for *Farewell My Concubine* (1993), which shared the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Other films he has directed include *The Emperor and the Assassin* (1998), *The Promise* (2005) and *The Battle at Lake Changjin* (2021).

Chen has been married to actress Chen Hong since 1997. They have two sons.

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

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (1)

- *The Last Emperor* (1987), Fi1m 80, as Captain of Imperial Guard — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-emperor.md)

### Directed (3) — the average rests on these

- *The Battle at Lake Changjin II: Water Gate Bridge* (2022), Fi1m 39, Producer, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-at-lake-changjin-ii-water-gate-bridge.md)
- *The Battle at Lake Changjin* (2021), Fi1m 36, Director, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-at-lake-changjin.md)
- *Farewell My Concubine* (1993), Fi1m 85, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/farewell-my-concubine.md)

## Complete filmography (40)

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

- *The Volunteers: Peace at Last* (2025), Director, Writer
- *The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death* (2024), Director, Writer
- *The Volunteers: To the War* (2023), Director
- *The Battle at Lake Changjin II: Water Gate Bridge* (2022), Producer, Director — Fi1m 39, [page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-at-lake-changjin-ii-water-gate-bridge.md)
- *The Battle at Lake Changjin* (2021), Executive Producer, Director — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/the-battle-at-lake-changjin.md)
- *Something Just Like This* (2020), series, Producer
- *Shu Zhen* (2020), Director
- *My People, My Country* (2019), Director
- *Legend of the Demon Cat* (2017), Director, Writer
- *China's Megatomb Revealed* (2016), Director
- *Monk Comes Down the Mountain* (2015), Screenplay, Director
- *Caught in the Web* (2012), Director, Writer
- *The Monkey King 3D: Uproar in Heaven* (2012), as 东海龙王
- *Sacrifice* (2010), Director, Screenplay
- *The Founding of a Republic* (2009), as Feng Yuxiang
- *Forever Enthralled* (2008), Director, Screenplay
- *Turandot di Giacomo Puccini* (2008), Director
- *One 2008th* (2008), Director
- *Turandot* (2008), Stage Director
- *To Each His Own Cinema* (2007), Director
- *The Promise* (2005), Director, Writer
- *Together* (2002), as Professor Yu · Director, Screenplay
- *Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet* (2002), Director
- *100 Flowers Hidden Deep* (2002), Director
- *Killing Me Softly* (2002), Director
- *The Grand Mansion Gate* (2001), series, as 府衙差官
- *吕布与貂蝉* (2001), series, Director
- *The Emperor and the Assassin* (1998), as Lu Buwei · Director, Writer, Producer
- *Temptress Moon* (1996), Director, Story
- *Farewell My Concubine* (1993), Director — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/farewell-my-concubine.md)
- *Life on a String* (1991), Director, Screenplay
- *New Chinese Cinema* (1989), Actor
- *The Last Emperor* (1987), as Captain of Imperial Guard — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-emperor.md)
- *King of the Children* (1987), Director, Writer
- *The Big Parade* (1986), Director
- *Forced Take-off* (1984), Director
- *Yellow Earth* (1984), Director, Screenplay
- *风禾尽起张居正*, series, Director
- *Swan Song*, Director
- *Flowers from the Ashes*, Director

## Gallery

- ![Chen Kaige](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-d70b62643c7d.jpg) Chen Kaige — Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/26th_Tokyo_International_Film_Festival_Chen_Kaige.jpg/1280px-26th_Tokyo_International_Film_Festival_Chen_Kaige.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![26th Tokyo International Film Festival: Chen Kaige 第26回 東京国際映画祭 チェン・カイコー (2013)](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-4ea6cbf6fcc4.jpg) 26th Tokyo International Film Festival: Chen Kaige 第26回 東京国際映画祭 チェン・カイコー (2013) — Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/26th_Tokyo_International_Film_Festival_Chen_Kaige_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-26th_Tokyo_International_Film_Festival_Chen_Kaige_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chen Kaige speaking after a screening of Yellow Earth (1984) at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival. (2026)](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-2c28eb3cc29b.jpg) Chen Kaige speaking after a screening of Yellow Earth (1984) at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival. (2026) — Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Chen_Kaige_at_HKIFF.jpg/1280px-Chen_Kaige_at_HKIFF.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. Relevant Chinese filmakers from the Chinese Cinema Fifyh Generation. (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-a6a397e04aab.jpg) Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. Relevant Chinese filmakers from the Chinese Cinema Fifyh Generation. (2021) — Left = deepskyobject

Right = Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Yimou-Kaige.jpg/1280px-Yimou-Kaige.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Chen Kaige](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-2029a9f8f8b8.jpg) Chen Kaige — Image via TMDB
- ![Chen Kaige](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-5092ce9a2d50.jpg) Chen Kaige — Image via TMDB
- ![Chen Kaige](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-93181948453a.jpg) Chen Kaige — Image via TMDB
- ![Chinese director Chen Kai-Ge (2011)](https://film.one/media/person/83322/gallery-7414feb5f43b.jpg) Chinese director Chen Kai-Ge (2011) — alanine, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/%E9%99%B3%E5%87%B1%E6%AD%8C.jpg/1280px-%E9%99%B3%E5%87%B1%E6%AD%8C.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1994: Best Film Not in the English Language (won), for *Farewell My Concubine*

### Cannes Film Festival — 1 won

- 1993: Palme d'Or (won), for *Farewell My Concubine*

### Other awards — 3 won, 1 nominated

- César Award for Best Foreign Film 1994: César Award for Best Foreign Film (nominated), for *Farewell My Concubine*
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1993: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film (won), for *Farewell My Concubine*
- National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1993: National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film (won), for *Farewell My Concubine*
- Sutherland Trophy 1985: Sutherland Trophy (won), for *Yellow Earth*

*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/chen-kaige