Liu Bingjian, born in 1963, initially worked in television after graduating from Beijing Film Academy. His first feature film, INKSTONE (Yanchuang/砚床, 1996), the story of an old lady who takes great care of a highly convertible ancient inkstone, portrays an ancestral and traditional China. Yanchuang is the first Chinese film to be bought for US distribution since 1949.

 

Liu Bingjian’s second feature is radically different. Produced independently, MEN & WOMEN (Nannan nünü/男男女女, 1999) is a realistic and humorous look at homosexuality in Chinese society. The film participated in many film festivals, and was awarded the Fipresci award at the 52nd Locarno Film Festival. It was very well received among international film critics.

 

His third film CRY WOMAN (Kuqide nüren/哭泣的女人, 2002) was selected by the Cannes Film Festival official selection « Un certain regard » and the leading actress received a Special Mention. The story of an ordinary woman who is laid off and becomes a professional mourner tells a real story of contemporary China. She cries for the dead and cries for herself at last. The film participated in many festivals.

 

His fourth film PLASTIC FLOWERS (Chunhua kai/春花开, 2004) screened in Toronto, Berlin and Hong Kong Film Festival. The film tells the story of an owner of a craft factory who gets involved with her two young male workers. In there the world is filled with plastic flowers, like the whole country.

 

THE BACK (Beimian/背面), 2010, is Liu Bingjian's fifth film and was selected in Competition at the Rome International Film Festival.