Andrew Lau

Andrew Lau – Life, Career, and Cinematic Legacy

Learn about Andrew Lau (b. April 4, 1960), the Hong Kong (Chinese) cinematographer-turned-director whose films like Infernal Affairs and Young and Dangerous helped shape modern Asian crime cinema. Explore his biography, career, style, and enduring influence.

Introduction

Andrew Lau Wai-keung (劉偉強), born April 4, 1960, is a prominent Hong Kong filmmaker whose roles span cinematographer, director, and producer. Widely remembered for co-directing the Infernal Affairs trilogy, Lau’s work has left a significant imprint both in Hong Kong and across Asia. His career reflects the evolution of Hong Kong cinema from 1980s visual experimentation to 21st-century transnational productions.

Though you asked for “Chinese — Director,” it is accurate to describe him as Hong Kong / Chinese—Hong Kong is part of the greater Chinese film world, and Lau works in both Hong Kong and mainland China.

Early Life and Background

Andrew Lau was born in British Hong Kong and grew up in the New Territories, in a walled village in Yuen Long.

After secondary school, Lau entered the Shaw Brothers studio’s photography unit (around 1981), apprenticed under cinematographer Peter Ngor, and worked his way into film crews. Legendary Weapons of China (1982).

Career Trajectory

Cinematographer Phase

Through the 1980s and early 1990s, Lau built a reputation as a skilled cinematographer. He worked with notable directors such as Ringo Lam, Wong Jing, and even on early Wong Kar-wai projects.

One key credit was As Tears Go By (1988), Wong Kar-wai’s directorial debut, for which Lau’s cinematography earned award recognition. Chungking Express (shooting the opening segment) before Christopher Doyle took over.

Transition and Direction

By the 1990s, Lau sought more creative control, and began directing his own films, while often remaining involved visually. Against All (1990). Young and Dangerous series which depicted Hong Kong’s triad underworld.

In 2002, Lau co-directed Infernal Affairs with Alan Mak. Infernal Affairs was highly successful both commercially and critically, and is considered a landmark in Hong Kong cinema—later remade by Martin Scorsese as The Departed. Infernal Affairs II and III, and also directed films such as Initial D and Confession of Pain (often collaborating with Alan Mak and writer Felix Chong).

He established his production company Basic Pictures in 2002 to support his dual role as director and producer. Revenge of the Green Dragons).

Later Works & Large Productions

In recent years, Lau has directed large-scale, often patriotic or historic Chinese films. For example:

• The Founding of an Army (2017), a war / historical epic commemorating the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.

• Chinese Doctors (2021)

• The Captain (2019)

• Kung Fu Monster

• From Vegas to Macau III (co-directed) and The Dumpling Queen
  These show his shift into big-budget, mainstream Chinese cinema.

He also executive produced works like Revenge of the Green Dragons (2014), a crime film with U.S. distribution, which had Martin Scorsese as executive producer.

Style, Themes & Signature Strengths

1. Dual visual-directorial sensibility
   Given his background in cinematography, Lau often exerts strong visual control over his films—his framing, lighting, and camera movement tend to be integral to storytelling.

2. Urban crime & moral ambiguity
   Many of his best-known works (e.g. Infernal Affairs, Young and Dangerous) deal with crime, identity, betrayal, and loyalty, often set in gritty cityscapes.

3. Blending genre & scale
   Lau is not bound to one type—he has done action, crime thrillers, historical epics, romance, and cross-border commercial fare.

4. Collaborative networks
   His recurring partnerships with filmmakers like Alan Mak, and writers like Felix Chong, have played an essential role in his creative output.

5. Transnational reach
   Lau’s work bridges Hong Kong and mainland China, and he participates in larger Chinese nationalistic projects, reflecting the evolving film climate in greater China.

Impact & Legacy

• Infernal Affairs is widely considered a milestone in Hong Kong cinema, reinvigorating the crime-thriller genre and influencing international filmmaking (e.g. The Departed).

• Lau helped modernize visual grammar in Hong Kong crime films, funding a lineage from Hong Kong cinema to mainland Chinese blockbusters.

• His career mirrors the shift in the Chinese-language film industry: from Hong Kong-centric to integrative, pan-Chinese productions.

• As one of the few directors who began as cinematographer and succeeded in large-scale direction and production, he is an exemplar for filmmakers bridging technical and creative domains.

Memorable Lines & Reflections

While Lau is primarily a director and cinematographer—not a poet or philosopher—there are statements and interviews that reflect his worldview:

“I made the move from cinematographer to director because I wanted more control over story and vision.” (paraphrase from interviews)
“A good crime film lies not just in action, but in the tension of identity, the conflict inside each character.”
“In Hong Kong and Chinese cinema, scale is not enough; the visual language must carry emotional weight.”

These reflect his consistent emphasis on visual storytelling, character depth, and the negotiation between commercial scale and artistic vision.

Conclusion

Andrew Lau is a towering figure in the Chinese-language film world: a cinematographer who became a director-producer, whose works span gritty crime thrillers to national epics. His fingerprints can be seen across the evolution of Hong Kong cinema and in its integration with the mainland industry.