---
name: "Lai Yiu-Fai"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lai-yiu-fai"
fi1m_id: "lai-yiu-fai"
imdb_id: "nm0481738"
tmdb_id: 12668
wikidata_id: "Q6473692"
roles: ["Cinematographer"]
born: "17 April 1962"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 88
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T16:00:06.377217+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."
---

# Lai Yiu-Fai

## Identity

Lai Yiu-Fai

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/lai-yiu-fai
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** lai-yiu-fai
- **IMDb ID:** nm0481738
- **TMDB ID:** 12668
- **Wikidata ID:** Q6473692
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lai_Yiu-fai, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6473692, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0481738/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12668

Cinematographer. Born 17 April 1962 in Hong Kong.

## Details

- **Work:** Cinematographer
- **Born:** 17 April 1962, Hong Kong
- **Active:** 1997–present
- **Also known as:** 黎耀輝, 黎耀辉, Lau Yiu-Fat, Li Yaohui
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 86 (1), 2000s 89 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 88 to 78 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Romance 2, Action 1, Crime 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $30m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lai_Yiu-fai, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6473692, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0481738/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/12668

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Infernal Affairs*](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md) (87)

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

## Biography

Lai Yiu-fai (Chinese: 黎耀輝) is a Hong Kong cinematographer. He began his career in the 1980s as a focus puller on numerous films, including several Jackie Chan action pictures such as *Project A* (1983), *Police Story* (1985) and *The Legend of Drunken Master* (1994).

He received director of photography credits from the late 1990s onwards. His work includes *Infernal Affairs* (2002), *2046* (2004), *Initial D* (2005), *Confession of Pain* (2006) and *Dragon* (2011). He has frequently collaborated with directors Andrew Lau and Wong Kar-wai.

Lai won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography for *2046* (2005), *Confession of Pain* (2007) and *Dragon* (2012). He was also nominated for his work on *Infernal Affairs*.

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

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Infernal Affairs* (2002), Fi1m 87, Director of Photography, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md)
- *In the Mood for Love* (2000), Fi1m 91, Second Unit Director of Photography, Focus Puller — [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love.md)
- *Happy Together* (1997), Fi1m 86, First Assistant Camera — [page](https://film.one/film/happy-together.md)

## Complete filmography (43)

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

- *Walk the Line* (2024), Director of Photography
- *Woof Woof Daddy* (2024), Director of Photography
- *My Country, My Parents* (2021), Director of Photography
- *Iceman: The Time Traveler* (2018), Director of Photography
- *The Four 3* (2014), Director of Photography
- *Tai Chi Hero* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Tai Chi Zero* (2012), Director of Photography
- *The Four* (2012), Director of Photography
- *Mr. Tree* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Dragon* (2011), Cinematography
- *A Beautiful Life* (2011), Director of Photography
- *Plastic City* (2009), Director of Photography
- *Perfect Life* (2009), Director of Photography
- *L for Love, L for Lies* (2008), Director of Photography
- *One Last Dance* (2007), Cinematography
- *Confession of Pain* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Black Night* (2006), Director of Photography
- *2 Become 1* (2006), Director of Photography
- *Initial D* (2005), Director of Photography
- *All Tomorrow's Parties* (2003), Director of Photography
- *Green Tea* (2003), Additional Camera
- *Infernal Affairs* (2002), Director of Photography — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/infernal-affairs.md)
- *The Avenging Fist* (2001), Director of Photography
- *City of Desire* (2001), Director of Photography
- *For Bad Boys Only* (2000), Director of Photography
- *In the Mood for Love* (2000), as Focus Puller · Second Unit Director of Photography — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/in-the-mood-for-love.md)
- *Play with Strangers* (2000), Screenplay
- *Spacked Out* (2000), Cinematography
- *Love Will Tear Us Apart* (1999), Cinematography
- *Portland Street Blues* (1998), Director of Photography
- *Happy Together* (1997), First Assistant Camera — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/happy-together.md)
- *The Crucifixion* (1994), as Focus Puller
- *The Legend of Drunken Master* (1994), as Focus Puller
- *Crime Story* (1993), as Focus Puller
- *Operation Condor* (1991), as Focus Puller
- *Police Story 2* (1988), as Focus Puller
- *Dragons Forever* (1988), as Focus Puller
- *Project A - Part II* (1987), as Focus Puller
- *Armour of God* (1986), as Focus Puller
- *Police Story* (1985), as Focus Puller
- *Project A* (1983), as Focus Puller
- *Mission for the Brave*, series, Co-Director
- *Hengyang 1944*, Director of Photography

## Awards

### Other awards — 5 won, 4 nominated

- Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography 2012: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *Dragon*
- Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography 2007: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *Confession of Pain*
- Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography 2006: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Initial D*
- Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography 2006: Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography (nominated), for *2046*
- Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography 2005: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *2046*
- National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography 2005: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *2046*
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography 2005: New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography (won), for *2046*
- Golden Horse Award for Best Cinematography 2004: Golden Horse Award for Best Cinematography (nominated), for *2046*
- Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography 2003: Hong Kong Film Award for Best Cinematography (nominated), for *Infernal Affairs*

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

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© 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/lai-yiu-fai