Sylvia Chang

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Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang October 2022.jpg
Chang at the 57th Golden Bell Awards in October 2022
Born (1953-07-21) 21 July 1953 (age 70)
Dalin, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Other namesZhang Aijia
Occupation(s)Actress, writer, director, singer, producer
Years active1973–present
Spouses
Bob Liu
​
​
(m. 1978;div. 1984)​
[1]
Billy Wang
​
(m. 1991)​
Children1
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 張艾嘉
Simplified Chinese 张艾嘉
Hanyu Pinyin Zhāng Àijiā
Jyutping Zoeng1 Ngaai6gaa1

Sylvia Chang (born 21 July 1953) is a Taiwanese actress, writer, singer, producer and director. [2] In 1992, she was a member of the jury at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival. [3] In 2018, she was one of the jury members of the main competition section at the 75th Venice International Film Festival.

Contents

Early life

Chang was born in Chiayi, Taiwan. She dropped out of school when she was 16, and started her career as a radio DJ. [4] When she was 18 years old she acted in her first film. [5]

Career

Chang acted in her first film, The Tattooed Dragon (龍虎金剛) (1973), when she was 18 years old. [6] Chang often attempted to do her own stunts in the four-part film series Aces Go Places . [7]

She stated in an interview with film editor Clarence Tsui, "I still think Hong Kong's film industry is male-dominated". [8] She also believes that "There aren't many male filmmakers who would write scripts for women". [8] She helped write the script of Run Papa Run , [9] based on the novel by Benny Li Shuan Yan, [10] that follows a man who belongs to the Triad and the relationship he has with his mother, wife, and daughter. [6] Chang said in an interview that, "I thought why don't I explore the gentler side of men".

Chang first began performing in theatre productions more than 30 years ago. She returned to the stage in the production of Design For Living (華麗上班族之生活與生存) that premiered in November 2008 and went on into 2009. [11] Chang stated in an interview that, "The reason for me to take on stage play again after 20 years is because I was lured by the director, he has invited handsome guys like Zheng Yuan Chang [sic] and David Huang into the play". [11] Critics have remarked upon the versatility in her roles along with her willingness to always try for something new. [12]

Chang is also a singer and her music has become popular in karaoke, [4] where her song "The Cost of Love" is commonly sung. [4]

In the 1980s, Chang's second film to direct, Passion, which she wrote and also starred in, won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress. [4] She has stated, "I had never went to any school as a director or a filmmaker, so all my film education actually was from the set". [13]

For a time, Chang was the head producer of New Cinema City in Taiwan, but left a few years after joining. [13] In 20 30 40 , she played the 40-year-old woman protagonist, wrote and directed it. [9]

Critical reception

Chang once said of her films that, "I've always felt that animation or special effects shouldn't just be limited to science-fiction films and their ilk. Dramas can also play around with them". [6] One critic wrote of her, that "In an industry that kisses young actresses with celebrity, then swallows them and spits them out, Chang has a sequoia's longevity. She is the only Hong Kong actress of her generation—the early '70s—to keep starring in movies". [5]

Chang's films have been accepted into the London and Toronto International film Festivals. [14] She has served on the jury for the Berlin Film Festival. [14] She also holds the record for the most nominations for Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress, with nine nominations and 2 wins.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Chang married Hong Kong-based journalist Bob Liu in 1979. They divorced in 1984. Chang married Taiwanese businessman Billy Wang Jing-xiong in 1991 and they have one son, Oscar. She also has two stepsons. [1]

In July 2000, Chang's nine-year-old son Oscar was kidnapped and held for a ransom of HK $15 million. [1] The police found him after a few days, safe, and arrested the kidnappers. [15] Chang stated, "With your life, you have to move on, there's no other choice; so, out of no choice, then, it's a matter of your attitude". [13]

Philanthropy

Chang is an advocate and a "life-long volunteer" for World Vision International, [16] the humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization. She created an advertisement, sponsored by World Vision, to promote the company, World Vision Advertisement on YouTube. She is a member and advocate for the World Vision-sponsored "30 Hour Famine."

Filmography

Sylvia Chang at the 2011 Hong Kong International Film Festival. Sylvia Chang 2011.jpg
Sylvia Chang at the 2011 Hong Kong International Film Festival.

As actress

As filmmaker

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981Once Upon a TimeCo-director, co-writer
1986PassionDirector, writer
1987Yellow StoryDirector
1989 All About Ah-Long Co-writer (story)
1991Sisters of the World UniteDirector, co-writer, producer
1992 Mary from Beijing Director, writer
1992Three SummersCo-writer, producer
1994 In Between Director, writer, producer
  • also known as Conjugal Affairs or The New Age of Living Together
  • segment "Unwed Mother"
1995 Siao Yu Director, co-writer
1995I Want to Go on LivingCo-writer
1996 Tonight Nobody Goes Home Director, co-writer
1998 Bishonen Executive producer
1999 Tempting Heart Director, co-writer
2002Princess DDirector, co-writer, producer
2004 20 30 40 Director, co-writer
2008 Run Papa Run Director, co-writer
2007Happy BirthdayCo-writer
201110+10Writersegment "The Dusk of the Gods"
2012My WayExecutive producerDocumentary
2015 Murmur of the Hearts Director, co-writer
2015 Office Writer
2017 Love Education Director, co-writer
2021HeroDirectorsegment "Hong Kong"

Discography

Kolin Records (歌林)
Rock Records

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
1976 13th Golden Horse Awards Best Supporting Actress Posterity and PerplexityWon
1980 17th Golden Horse Awards Best Actress White JasmineNominated
1981 18th Golden Horse Awards Best Actress My GrandfatherWon
1983 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Aces Go Places Nominated
1985 4th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Shanghai Blues Nominated
1986 23rd Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film PassionNominated
Best Director Nominated
Best Actress Won
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
1987 6th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Won
1989 26th Golden Horse Awards Best Actress Full Moon in New York Nominated
1990 9th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Eight Taels of Gold Nominated
All About Ah-Long Nominated
1991 10th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Queen of Temple Street Nominated
1995 32nd Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Siao Yu Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best FilmWon
Best ScreenplayWon
1996 33rd Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Tonight Nobody Goes Home Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Asia-Pacific Film Festival Best ScreenplayWon
1999 1st Jutra Awards Best Actress The Red Violin Nominated
36th Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Tempting Heart Nominated
2000 19th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Director Nominated
Best Screenplay Won
2001 38th Golden Horse Awards Best Actress Forever and EverNominated
20027th Golden Bauhinia Awards Best ActressWon
21st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Won
2nd Chinese Film Media Awards Best ActressNominated
Asian Film Critics Association Awards Best ActressWon
2004 41st Golden Horse Awards Best Actress Rice Rhapsody Nominated
54th Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear 20 30 40 Nominated
2005 24th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Nominated
5th Chinese Film Media Awards Best FilmNominated
Best DirectorNominated
Best ActressNominated
Asian Film Critics Association Awards Best ActressWon
Newport Beach Film Festival Best Actress Rice Rhapsody Won
2006 25th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Nominated
2007 26th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay Happy BirthdayNominated
2008 45th Golden Horse Awards Best Director Run Papa Run Nominated
2009 28th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Screenplay Nominated
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best ScreenplayNominated
2010 47th Golden Horse Awards Best Actress Buddha Mountain Nominated
201212th Chinese Film Media Awards Best Supporting ActressNominated
2015 52nd Golden Horse Awards Best Actress Office Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated
2016 35th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Nominated
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best Director Murmur of the Hearts Nominated
Best ScreenplayWon
Best Actress Office Nominated
16th Chinese Film Media Awards Best Supporting Actress Mountains May Depart Nominated
2017 54th Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Love Education Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Best Leading Actress Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
2018 12th Asian Film Awards [18] Best Director Nominated
Best Actress Won
Best ScreenplayNominated
Lifetime Achievement Award—Honored
37th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Director Love Education Nominated
Best Actress Nominated
Best Screenplay Won
9th China Film Director's Guild Awards [19] Best ActressNominated
Best ScreenwriterWon
Best Hong Kong / Taiwan DirectorWon
23rd Huading Awards Best DirectorNominated
Best ActressNominated
29th Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild Awards Best DirectorWon
18th Chinese Film Media Awards Best ActressNominated
Best ScreenplayNominated
Best DirectorNominated
25th Beijing College Student Film Festival Best ScreenplayWon
25th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best ScreenplayNominated
Best DirectorWon
2022 59th Golden Horse Awards Best Leading Actress A Light Never Goes Out Won
202329th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best ActressNominated
41st Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actress Nominated

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Fraser, Niall (13 July 2000). "Star's kidnapped son locked in suitcase". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "Sylvia Chang". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Berlinale: 1992 Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Sylvia Chang". English.cri.cn. Archived from the original on 6 March 2010.
  5. 1 2 "Sylvia Rising". TIME. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "The Collaborator : An interview with Sylvia Chang". Far East Film Festival. 3 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Q&A: Sylvia Chang". TIME. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Filmmaker Sylvia Chang defies gender rules". South China Morning Post . Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  9. 1 2 Sylvia Chang in the Internet Movie Database
  10. ↑ Run Papa Run , IMDB
  11. 1 2 "Starnews: Edward Lam is using Joe Cheng to 'lure' Sylvia Chang to appear on the stage play again". AsianFanaticFans. 20 October 2008.
  12. ↑ "Sylvia Chang: from Actress to Director". China Daily . 21 April 2004.
  13. 1 2 3 "Chinese actress/director Sylvia Chang interview Transcript". CNN. 27 October 2004. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013.
  14. 1 2 "Sylvia Chang". Filmbug. 2 January 2003.
  15. ↑ The Straits Times. "Sylvia Chang's son "beaten by abductors' - Worldnews.com". Article.wn.com.
  16. ↑ "Joy of Sponsorship". Worldvision.org.hk.
  17. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (20 July 2020). "Venice Film Festival to Honor Tilda Swinton, Ann Hui With Golden Lions for Career Achievement". variety.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "Asian Film Awards: 'Youth' Wins Top Prize From 'Demon Cat'". Variety. 17 March 2018.
  19. ↑ "导演协会年度表彰《嘉年华》《芳华》 周冬雨影后". Sina (in Chinese). 22 April 2018.
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