Johnnie To

Biography

Johnnie To Kei-Fung (Chinese: 杜琪峯, born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong,  To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his action and crime movies, which have earned him critical respect  and a cult following. His films, often made in collaboration with the same group of actors, screenwriters and cinematographers, frequently explore themes of friendship, fate and the changing face of Hong Kong society. Sometimes described as "multifaceted and chameleonic" due to his ability to switch tones and genres between movies, To is nonetheless seen as having a consistent style, which involves mixing subdued realism and social observation with highly stylized visual and acting elements. To heads the Hong Kong-based production company Milkyway Image with his frequent co-director Wai Ka-Fai.

Directed

1. Drug War (2012) — Director
2. Election (2005) — Director
3. Exiled (2006) — Director
4. Mad Detective (2007) — Director
5. Election 2 (2006) — Director
6. Vengeance (2009) — Director
7. PTU (2003) — Director
8. The Mission (1999) — Director
9. Breaking News (2004) — Director
10. Running Out of Time (1999) — Director
11. Fulltime Killer (2001) — Director
12. Blind Detective (2013) — Director
13. Justice, My Foot! (1992) — Director
14. Throw Down (2004) — Director
15. The Heroic Trio (1993) — Director
16. Running on Karma (2003) — Director
17. Life Without Principle (2011) — Director
18. Three (2016) — Director
19. Sparrow (2008) — Director
20. Running Out of Time 2 (2001) — Director
21. The Mad Monk (1993) — Director
22. Triangle (2007) — Director
23. Don't Go Breaking My Heart (2011) — Director
24. A Hero Never Dies (1998) — Director
25. All About Ah-Long (1989) — Director
26. Love on a Diet (2001) — Director
27. My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002) — Director
28. Heroic Trio 2: Executioners (1993) — Director
29. Fat Choi Spirit (2002) — Director
30. Yesterday Once More (2004) — Director
31. Turn Left, Turn Right (2003) — Director
32. The Bare-Footed Kid (1993) — Director
33. Needing You... (2000) — Director
34. Office (2015) — Director
35. Loving You (1995) — Director
36. Happy Ghost III (1986) — Director
37. The Big Heat (1988) — Director
38. Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 (2014) — Director
39. Lifeline (1997) — Director
40. The Legend of the Condor Heroes (1983) — Director

Also appeared in

1. Three (2016) — Wong Superintendent (voice)
2. Expect the Unexpected (1998)
3. The Banquet (1991)
4. The Royal Scoundrel (1991) — Taxi Driver
5. Boundless (2013) — Self
6. Code Name: Melville (2010) — Self
7. In the Mood for Melville (2017) — Self
8. It's No Heaven (1988) — Club Patron
9. The Iron Butterfly II (1990)
10. Hong Kong Superstars (2001) — Self
11. Sisters of the World Unite (1991)
12. Golden Horse Awards (1962) — Self
13. The Weaving of a Dream: Johnnie To's Vision and Craft (2016) — Self
14. Johnnie Got His Gun! (2010) — Himself
15. Katanas, yakuzas y cintas de video (2004) — (archive footage)
16. Grit & Polish: Heroines from Hong Kong (2001) — Self