Wu Yigong

A noted mainland director of the 1980s, Wu Yigong (b. 1 December 1938, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province) graduated from the Directing Department of Beijing Film Academy (BFA) in 1960 and was assigned to Haiyan Film Studio in Shanghai. He worked as assistant director on a number of productions. Night Rain on the River (co-dir. Wu Yonggang, 1980), which won Best Film at 1981 China Golden Rooster Awards (GRA), placed Wu’s name in the public spotlight. His solo feature, My Memories of Old Beijing (1982), which won Best Director award at 1983 China GRA as well as the Golden Eagle at the second FF held in Manila, further consolidated Wu’s reputation as one of the most talented directors of the 1980s. Like many directors of his generation who also hold administrative positions (e.g., Wu Tianming, Xie Fei), Wu does not direct films on a year-by-year basis. His The Descendants of Confucius (1992) was awarded Best Director and Best Film prizes by Ministry of Broadcasting, Film and Television (MBFT) in 1993. Wu has served as manager of Shanghai Film Studio, general manager of the United Film Company of Shanghai, and director of the Bureau of Motion Pictures under Shanghai Municipal government. —Encyclopedia of Chinese Film