**Chen Kaige** (born in 1952) is a prominent Chinese film director, a key figure in Chinese cinema's "Fifth Generation." His debut film, *Yellow Earth* (1984), is considered a watershed work for its visual style and metaphorical narrative, ushering in a new era for Chinese cinema.

His masterpiece is *Farewell My Concubine* (1993), winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes and an Academy Award nominee. This epic saga follows the lives of Peking Opera performers through decades of Chinese historical upheaval.

Chen's style is characterized by sumptuous cinematography and a focus on human dramas amidst major social and political change, often with a visually grand and reflective approach to history and national identity, as seen in *The Emperor and the Assassin* or *Legend of the Demon Cat*.