Andrew Lau

The 1982 film Legendary Weapons of China marked the beginning of Andrew Lau’s professional trajectory as a cinematographer. Born in Hong Kong on April 4, 1960, he transitioned from capturing the visions of directors like Wong Kar-wai to establishing his own creative autonomy as both a director and producer throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Early Development and Technical Foundation

Raised in the New Territories as one of six siblings, Lau developed an interest in photography while his father worked on Hong Kong Island. Following his secondary education, he joined Shaw Brothers Studios. His early reputation as a cinematographer was solidified by his distinctive use of lighting and hand-held camera techniques on projects such as Ringo Lam’s 1987 thriller City on Fire and Wong Kar-wai’s directorial debut, As Tears Go By.

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Directorial Breakthrough and Franchise Success

Lau moved into directing in 1990 with Against All. He later achieved significant commercial recognition with the 1996 film Young and Dangerous, a project exploring the local Triad society that resulted in numerous sequels. During this period, he collaborated with Manfred Wong and Wong Jing to form BoB and Partners Co. Ltd., facilitating the production of diverse genre films like The Storm Riders and The Duel.

Collaborative Peaks and International Projects

In 2002, he founded Basic Pictures and partnered with co-director Alan Mak and screenwriter Felix Chong to create the Infernal Affairs trilogy. The inaugural film served as a critical success during a period of perceived stagnation in local cinema. Beyond Hong Kong, Lau expanded his reach to the United States, directing the 2014 crime drama Revenge of the Green Dragons, which featured executive production by Martin Scorsese and received a simultaneous theatrical and VOD release.