Ang Lee

Ang Lee (Chinese: 李安; pinyin: Lǐ Ān; born October 23, 1954) is a renowned Taiwanese filmmaker recognized for the emotional depth and exploration of repressed, hidden emotions in his films. His body of work has won him international critical and popular acclaim, encompassing numerous accolades including two Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. Born in Pingtung County, Taiwan, Lee pursued his education in Taiwan before furthering his studies in the United States. He first made waves in filmmaking with Pushing Hands (1991), The Wedding Banquet (1993), and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), films that beautifully juxtaposed and explored tradition and modernity, East and West. His entry to Hollywood was through the costume drama Sense and Sensibility (1995), his first entirely English-language film.

Lee's versatile directorial skills span across various genres, including films like the drama The Ice Storm (1997), martial arts-centered Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), superhero movie Hulk (2003), and the erotic espionage drama Lust, Caution (2007). He maneuvered a career setback post-Hulk with the sensational Brokeback Mountain, a compelling story about forbidden love, that became a cultural phenomenon. Later, he again bagged the Academy Award for Best Director with the survival drama Life of Pi (2012). Lee continues to challenge himself, as apparent in his work on high frame rate technology in Gemini Man (2019), and remains a transformative figure in the world of cinema.