Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on August 12, 1952, Chen Kaige is from Beijing, People's Republic of China. Chen Kaige is credited as a film director, screenwriter and actor. The age as of 2026 is 74. Awards on record include Sutherland Trophy (1985), Palme d'Or (1993), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1993) and 3 more. Notable works include Farewell My Concubine and Yellow Earth.
My Take
Chen Kaige sits high in my personal pantheon of directors. As a leading figure of China's fifth generation, he didn't just make films, he forced the world to take Chinese cinema seriously, becoming the first Chinese director to claim the Palme d'Or with Farewell My Concubine. That film's blend of operatic beauty and human cruelty still floors me on every rewatch, and Yellow Earth's stark, poetic landscapes linger long after. What I admire is his willingness to look history and fate dead in the eye. He paints with images the way poets work with words, and that gift is rare.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Chen Kaige
- Name (Japanese)
- チェン・カイコー
- Reading
- ちぇん・かいこー
- Born
- August 12, 1952 (age 74)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Dragon
- Origin
- Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Occupation
- film director / screenwriter / actor / film producer / writer
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1985 Sutherland Trophy
- 1993 Palme d'Or
- 1993 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Foreign Language Film
- 1993 National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film
- 1994 BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Language Film
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Farewell My Concubine | — | |
| Notable work | Yellow Earth | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen%20Kaige
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%81%E3%82%A7%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AB%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B3%E3%83%BC
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202597
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Chen Kaige born?
Born August 12, 1952 (age 74).
Where is Chen Kaige from?
Chen Kaige is from Beijing, People's Republic of China.
What does Chen Kaige do?
Chen Kaige works as film director, screenwriter, actor, film producer, writer.
What is Chen Kaige known for?
Notable works include Farewell My Concubine, Yellow Earth.
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