Edward Yang, a renowned international filmmaker, was born on November 6, 1947, in Shanghai, China. He is one of the most talented artists of the Taiwanese New Wave, alongside Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Tsai Ming-Liang, and is considered one of the world's most brilliant auteurs.
Growing up in Taipei, Taiwan, Yang developed an interest in Japanese Manga/Comic Books, which inspired him to write his own screenplays. After studying engineering in Taiwan, he pursued a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Florida, while working at the Center for Informatics Research.
Yang's interest in film was rekindled after watching a piece by Werner Herzog, and he went on to write the script and serve as a production aide on the Hong Kong TV movie, The Winter of 1905. He later directed and wrote several television shows in Taiwan, before making his breakthrough with the direction and writing of the film short, Desires, in 1982.
Yang's early films, such as That Day On The Beach, Taipei Story, and The Terrorizer, explored themes of city and urban life, and showcased his unique narrative style. His first major masterpiece, A Brighter Summer Day, was a sprawling examination of teenage gangs, societal clashes, and the influence of American pop-culture.
Yang's subsequent films, including A Confucian Confusion, Mahjong, and Yi Yi, continued to explore the struggles between modernity and tradition, as well as the relationships between business and art. Yi Yi, considered his magnum opus, is an epic story about the Jian family, told through their different perspectives, and examines various aspects of human life in an artistic and enlightening manner.
Yang's filmmaking style is characterized by his ability to capture the uncertain future of modernizing Taiwan, and his vision is one of the most original in world cinema today.
