Chinese name: 娄烨 Born: 1 March 1965 From: Shanghai, China Occupation: Director, screenwriter, producer Worked with Ziyi: 1 time

Purple Butterfly (2003) Director

Born in Shanghai, Lou was educated at the Beijing Film Academy. In 1993, he made his first film Weekend Lover, but it was not released until two years later in 1995. Lou, however, did not gain international prominence until his second film, the neo-noir Suzhou River. That film dealt with questions of identity and proved quite controversial upon its release in China. Upon its release, international audiences praised Suzhou River, which several critics felt evoked Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, particularly in how both films focus on a man obsessed with a mysterious woman.

In 2003, Lou Ye made the film Purple Butterfly starring Zhang Ziyi. The film, which took place during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, with its tale of revenge and betrayal, as well as its complex narrative structure again borrowed heavily from the film noir tradition.

Lou’s next film, Summer Palace (2006) which dealt with two lovers in the backdrop of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, again brought Lou into conflict with Chinese authorities, resulting in a five-year ban for both him and his producer. His latest film, Spring Fever, was therefore shot surreptitiously in Nanjing and was registered as a Hong Kong-French coproduction to avoid censors. The film was shown in competition at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival where it won the prize for best screenplay for writer Mei Feng.

In 1998, Lou Ye founded with Nai An the film company Dream Factory. —Wiki

♦ According to Ziyi, Lou Ye was very quiet during the fiming of Purple Butterfly, he never praised anyone. After the wrap up of each shoot, they didn’t talk much to each other, but in the end he said to her: “Well done, Ziyi!” Ziyi told the media that at this moment, she just couldn’t control her tears.