Lu Chuan

Last updated
Lu Chuan
陆川
Luchuan01.jpg
Born (1971-02-08) 8 February 1971 (age 53)
Kuytun, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China
Years active2000s-present
Spouse Hu Die (胡蝶) (m. 2015)
AwardsSan Sebastian Festival – Best Picture:
2009 City of Life and Death

Golden Horse Awards – Best Picture:
2004 Kekexili: Mountain Patrol

Golden Rooster Awards – Best Picture:
2004 Kekexili: Mountain Patrol

Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 陸川
Simplified Chinese 陆川
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Lù Chuān

Lu Chuan (born 8 February 1971) is a Chinese filmmaker. One of China's Sixth Generation directors, [1] he is known for his films Kekexili: Mountain Patrol (2004), City of Life and Death (2009), and The Last Supper (2012).

Contents

Early life

Lu was born in an army reclamation town in Xinjiang. His parents hailed from Shanghai, with ancestral roots in Nantong, Jiangsu, and had relocated to Xinjiang as part of a state initiative to support frontier development. Lu’s father, Lu Tianming (陆天明), is a well-known writer. [2] The family later moved to Beijing, where Lu grew up.​ [3]

In 1988, Lu, due to his father’s opposition to pursuing film studies, entered the PLA Institute of International Relations at Nanjing (now Institute of Foreign Languages in National University of Defense Technology, Nanjing) to study English. After graduation from the military institute, he was assigned to work at the Unit 749 (later known as the Bureau 749), a secret military institution involved in researching paranormal phenomena and human superpowers for weapon development, under the Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND). [4]

In 1995, while working as an English translator for the COSTIND, Lu decided to pursue a master’s degree in directing at the Beijing Film Academy. [1] One of the three students who were admitted to the graduate program that year, Lu studied the works of his favorite directors including Ingmar Bergman, Jim Jarmusch, and Pier Paolo Pasolini at the academy. He graduated in 1998, with his graduate dissertation, The Author in the System, on Francis Ford Coppola. [2]

Career

Lu first gained recognition for his adapted script from Zhang Chenggong’s eponymous novel for the 30-episode TV series Black Hole, directed by Guan Hu. Lu gained international acclaim as a director for his first two films: 2002's The Missing Gun and 2004's Kekexili: Mountain Patrol . Kekexili won a Golden Rooster and a Golden Horse best picture award and Special Jury Prize at the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival.

Lu spent five years on his third film, City of Life and Death, about the Nanjing Massacre during WWII. It was released in April 2009 to both critical and commercial success. However, the film's humanistic portrayal of a Japanese soldier aroused controversy in China. Lu won Achievement in Directing for the film at 3rd Asia Pacific Screen Awards and Best Director Award at 4th Asian Film Awards. The film won Best Film and Best Cinematography Awards at 57th San Sebastian Film Festival.

In 2012, Lu’s historical film The Last Supper , which had its release delayed for several months due to censorship over its alleged references to modern Chinese history, received mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box office [5] . His behavior during filming sparked controversy in the industry, including serious delays, excessive shooting, and frequent script changes, which led to the originally female lead role of Consort Yu being reduced to a character with no lines. [6] [7]

In 2019, his sci-fi film Bureau 749, inspired by his two-year work experience at the secret military institution Unit 749 [4] [8] , completed shooting but faced delays due to censorship and funding issues, the latter a spillover effect from the industry-wide disruptions caused by Fan Bingbing’s tax scandal [9] . At the end of 2019, Lu enrolled in an MBA program and, starting in 2020, personally financed the film’s post-production mainly by shooting advertisements. In 2023, Lu directed the opening ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games [10] . In the same year, to clear the debts from Bureau 749, he joined Zhejiang TV's variety show I Am the Actor (Season 3) as a judge, wrote and directed his first TV series Fantastic Doctors (2023), based on Korean drama Good Doctor , for a partner company that had purchased the rights to the original but was unable to proceed after China’s 2016 K-content ban [11] . In 2024, after additional pickups, Bureau 749 was released to poor reviews. [12]

Personal life

Lu's first wife, surnamed Zhang, comes from a high-ranking military family. The two met and dated while serving in the military. After Lu completed filming Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, they divorced. [13]

From around 2006 to 2008, Lu dated singer Tang Can. [14] [15]

In 2008, while filming his film City of Life and Death, Lu began dating actress Qin Lan. Their relationship was confirmed in September 2009 after being spotted together. They split in 2013. [13]

In 2015, Lu married CCTV anchor Hu Die. The same year, their son was born. In 2020, their daughter was born. [13]

Filmography

YearEnglish TitleChinese TitleAwards
2002 The Missing Gun 寻枪Annual Best Script, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, 2001; Best Maiden Work Award, 9th College Student Film Festival of China; Official selection for “Upstream” section of Venice International Film Festival
2004 Kekexili: Mountain Patrol 可可西里Golden Horse for Best Film, Special Jury Prize at the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival, Best Feature Film Golden Rooster Awards, Best Asian Film at the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards, Rajatha Chakoram for Best Director, Audience Prize, FIPRESCI Critics Prize, International Film Festival of Kerala, 2005, Best Feature Film at Banff Mountain Film Festival, 2005, Don Quixote Award-Special Mention at Berlin International Film Festival,2005, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Film at Huabiao Film Awards,2005, Best Director at Shanghai Film Critics Awards,2005
2009 City of Life and Death 南京！南京！Best film, San Sebastian Festival, 2009, Achievement in Directing, 3rd Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Best Director Award, 4th Asian Film Awards, Best Foreign Film at Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, 2011, Best Feature at Oslo Films from the South Festival, 2009
2012 The Last Supper 王的盛宴
2015 Chronicles of the Ghostly Tribe 九层妖塔
2016 Born in China 生在中国
2024The 749 Bureau749局
TBA River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liu Ye (actor)</span> Chinese actor

Liu Ye is a Chinese actor. He made his feature film debut in Postmen in the Mountains (1999), and later on won recognition through critically acclaimed film Lan Yu (2001), which earned him the Best Actor award at the Golden Horse Awards. His other notable works include the film Cock and Bull (2016), as well as the television series Blood Color Romance (2005) and All Quiet in Peking (2014).

Lu Yi is a Chinese actor and pop singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhang Jingchu</span> Chinese actress

Zhang Jingchu is a Chinese film actress. Zhang is best known for winning the China Film Media Award Best Actress award for the 2005 film Peacock, which was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huang Bo</span> Chinese actor and singer

Huang Bo is a Chinese actor, film director, singer and the current vice-chairman of China Film Association. He is the winner of multiple Chinese film awards, and ranked 34th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2013, 62nd in 2014, 22nd in 2015, 30th in 2017, 2nd in 2019, 52nd in 2020.

Qin Hao is a Chinese actor. He is known for starring in the 2009 film Spring Fever, and for his roles in suspense crime dramas Burning Ice (2017), The Bad Kids (2020) and The Long Season (2023).

Xue Xiaolu is a Chinese film director and screenwriter. She is considered one of the top Chinese female directors. Her first major feature was Ocean Heaven, (2010) which stars Jet Li, followed by Finding Mr. Right (2013) starring Tang Wei and Wu Xiubo. Her top-grossing film is Finding Mr. Right 2. Her films have won multiple awards in China and abroad, including the Outstanding New Screen Writer award at the fifteenth HuaBiao Awards, and Best Director at the 2013 China Image Film Festival. Xue is also a teacher at the Beijing Film Academy, and has been a volunteer with Beijing Stars and Rain, a non-governmental educational organization for autistic children, for 14 years.

Song Jia, also known as Xiao Song Jia, is a Chinese actress and singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qin Lan</span> Chinese actor and singer

Qin Lan is a Chinese actress, model, and singer. She is known for her roles as Empress Fuca in Story of Yanxi Palace, Zhihua in My Fair Princess III and Mo Xiangwan in We Are All Alone.

Zhang Lei, is a Chinese actor best known for his role as "journalist Ga Yu" in the 2004 Movie Kekexili: Mountain Patrol film by Chinese director Lu Chuan (陆川). He is currently an artist of National Theatre Company of China - NTCC (中国国家话剧院).

Xu Qing, also known as Summer Xu, is a Chinese actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yao Beina</span> Chinese singer and songwriter (born 1981)

Yao Beina, also known as Bella Yao, was a Chinese singer and songwriter. She debuted as a professional singer with her portrayal of the diva of the musical Jin Sha (金沙) in 2005. After graduating from China Conservatory of Music in the same year, she started her singing career in the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Political Department of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Post 70s Generation is a literary critical term in Chinese contemporary literature, which refers to the new generation of writers who were born after 1970 in China. In some criticism these writers have also been described as the 'Post Cultural Revolution Generation', or 'Post Maoism Generation' as they grew up after Mao's death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wang Junkai</span> Chinese actor, singer and leader of TFBOYS (born 1999)

Wang Junkai, also known as Karry Wang, is a Chinese singer and actor. He was a trainee of TF Family since 2010 and debuted as the leader of TFBOYS in 2013. He is estimated to have a personal net worth of 248 million yuan (US$36 million) as of December 2016.

Cao Yu is a Chinese cinematographer best known for his work on City of Life and Death, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol and See You Tomorrow. As a cinematographer, he became famous for his three collaborations with director Lu Chuan.

Hu Die, also known as Fang Yuan, is a Chinese television hostess for China Central Television. She is from Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China. In December 2007, she became the winner of CCTV's 5th host contest.

Zhang Yi is a Chinese actor best known for his roles in films Dearest, Cock and Bull and Operation Red Sea and television series Soldiers Sortie, My Chief and My Regiment and The Knockout.

Xu Xinwen is a Chinese singer, dancer, and actress under Show City Times. She is known for participating in the 2020 girl group survival show Youth With You 2 and the 2018 survival show The Next Top Bang.

<i>Hi, Mom</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Jia Ling

Hi, Mom is a 2021 Chinese comedy film written, directed by and starring Jia Ling. It co-stars Zhang Xiaofei, Shen Teng, and Chen He. It is the first film directed by Jia Ling; a semi-autobiographical fantasy story about a young woman who is suddenly thrown back in time to the year 1981, where she meets her mother and develops a bond of sisterhood with her. The film's themes include familial love, maternal love, and filial piety. It was released on 12 February 2021.

Victor Ma is a Chinese-American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actor. He debuted his career by winning second place at the 2017 Chinese talent competition show, The Coming One. In 2018, Ma released his solo debut single, "I Am Awake". In 2019, he released his first EP, Untitled. In 2020, he featured in the Chinese web series, Detective Chinatown. In the same year, he released his second EP, The Textbook. In 2021, he featured in the Chinese film, Detective Chinatown 3.

References

  1. 1 2 APA Staff (2005-04-28). "Locked and Loaded: the Imperturbable Lu Chuan". Asia Pacific Arts. Archived from the original on 2010-07-22. Retrieved 2009-01-21.
  2. 1 2 Wong, Edward (2009-05-23). "Showing the Glimmer of Humanity Amid the Atrocities of War". The New York Times . Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  3. ↑ "陆川:电影是门残酷的艺术,只尊重也只承认结果_CCTV.com_中国中央电视台". news.cctv.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  4. 1 2 "导演陆川："749局"是真实存在的机构". finance.sina.com.cn. 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  5. ↑ Tsui, Clarence (2013-01-03). "Director Lu Chuan Retells China's History in 'The Last Supper' (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  6. ↑ ""王的盛宴"投资人与陆川分道扬镳：不投他电影-中新网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  7. ↑ "電影投資人總結失敗經驗 指陸川"膨脹"狀態差--傳媒--人民網". media.people.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-10-05.{{cite web}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 12 (help)
  8. ↑ "陆川新片《749局》已拿龙标 经历补拍历时八年杀青". ent.ifeng.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  9. ↑ "自查自纠结束 影视行业报税117亿元--经济·科技--人民网". finance.people.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-10-05.{{cite web}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 7 (help)
  10. ↑ sina_mobile (2023-09-23). "南通籍著名导演陆川担任亚运会开幕式总导演". finance.sina.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  11. ↑ "《749局》争议始末：影视热钱时代的遗迹". finance.sina.com.cn. 2024-10-04. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  12. ↑ "《749局》评分直逼《上海堡垒》，陆川：冲我来". m.thepaper.cn. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  13. 1 2 3 "揭陆川八段情史 前妻背景深厚最爱是秦岚". m.haiwainet.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  14. ↑ "汤灿陆川公开恋情_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  15. ↑ "陆川汤灿分手情史大揭秘 好友曝两人同居多时_娱乐频道_凤凰网". ent.ifeng.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  16. ↑ Kroll, Justin (March 14, 2016). "Lu Chuan to Direct Adaptation of Peter Hessler's 'River Town'". Variety . Retrieved March 15, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.