Feng Xiaogang (simplified Chinese: 冯小刚; traditional Chinese: 馮小剛; pinyin: Féng Xiǎogāng; born 18 March 1958 in Beijing) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter, actor, producer and politician. He is well known in China as a highly successful commercial filmmaker whose comedy films do consistently well at the box office, although Feng has broken out from that mold by making some drama and period drama films. Feng was a member of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC.[1]
The son of a college professor and a factory nurse, Feng joined the Beijing Military Region Art Troupe as a stage designer after high school. He began his cinema career as an art designer in the Beijing Television Art Center in 1985. Later, he moved on to write screenplays. During this period, he worked closely with director Zheng Xiaolong and writer Wang Shuo.
In the late 1990s, Feng established himself in a Chinese genre called "Hesui Pian (贺岁片)", or "New Year's Celebration Films." He became famous as the director of the movie The Dream Factory (1997). Professor Ying Zhu, an expert in Chinese cinema calls Feng's films 'talk of the nation' for their ability to check the pulse of Chinese society."[2]Jason McGrath, a University of Minnesota professor, believed that, having achieved success within mainland China in the face of Hollywood competition, "The entertainment cinema of Feng Xiaogang represents a new model of a Chinese national cinema that positions itself vis-à-vis Hollywood."[3]
Feng is renowned for making comedies in the Beijing dialect. Almost all of his films star Ge You in a leading role. In recent years, he has transitioned from solely making comedies to directing drama and period drama movies.
He married actress Xu Fan in 1999.