Director , Scriptwriter , Actors/Actress
Wu Nien-Jen was born in a coal miner\'s family in 1952. He started writing short stories for newspapers in 1975, when he was still an accounting majored college student. After writing his first screenplay in 1978, Wu entered Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC) as a creative supervisor and worked with several pioneering directors such as HOU Hsiao-Hsien and Edward YANG. Wu has since written more than 75 screenplays that were made into films, and became one of the driving forces for the New Taiwanese Cinema Movement in the early 1980\'s. His works for the Taiwan New Cinema include “The Sandwich Man,”(1983兒子的大玩偶) “That Day on the Beach,”(1983海灘的一天) “Woman of Wrath,”(1984殺夫) “Dust in the Wind,”(1986戀戀風塵) “City of Sadness.”(1989) “Dust in the Wind ”is an semi-autobiographic work of WU. Wu set the record of winning the most Golden Horse Awards to date, among those includes the collaboration with the internationally acclaimed Hong Kong director Anne HUI(許\鞍華) on her film“Song of Exile,”(1990客途秋恨). His novels and screenplays also made him one of the best-selling authors in Taiwan as well. In 1989WU left CMPC to become a freelance scriptwriter. WU Nien-Jen made his directorial debut “A Borrowed Life,(多桑) in 1994. The award winning film commemorates Wu\'s Japanese-educated, hard-working father. The film won the Grand Prize at Torino Film Festival in Italy, and Best Actor and International Critics Awards in Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece. In 1996, Wu wrote and directed his second film “Buddha Bless America,”(太平天國) a political satire set in the 1960s. Besides his directing and writing career, Wu cameo in films from time to time. But it was not until he acted in a series of beer and food products commercials that his acting talent was discovered. He was cast as the leading actor in Edward YANG’s latest film “A One And A Two,” which was critically acclaimed and won several international awards. WU runs his own production company Wu\'s Productions now, and actively writes, directs, produces and performs in both commercials and television programs.
Awards
1992 The 29th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "Hill of No Return"
1990 The 27th Golden Horse Awards Best Feature Film Screenplay "Song of the Exile"
1987 The 24th Golden Horse Awards 最佳電影插曲 "Osmanthus Alley"
1986 The 23th Golden Horse Awards Best Adapted Screenplay "The Two of Us"
1984 The 21th Golden Horse Awards Best Adapted Screenplay "Old Mao's Second Spring"
1981 The 18th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "同班同學"
Nominations
2009 The 46th Golden Horse Awards Best Short Film "Ending Cut"
1995 The 32th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "Super Citizen Ko"
1994 The 31th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "Borrowed Life"
1989 The 26th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "City of Sadness"
1988 The 25th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "海峽兩岸"
1987 The 24th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "Flowers of Paradise"
1983 The 20th Golden Horse Awards Best Adapted Screenplay "The Sandwich Man"
1983 The 20th Golden Horse Awards Best Original Screenplay "That Day, on the Beach"
| Year | Title |
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| 2023 | Free Beats: The Musical Journey of CHEN Ming Chang |
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Nomination
2023 The 60th Golden Horse Awards Best Documentary Feature
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| 2016 | Mole of Life |
| 2016 | My Egg Boy |
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2016 Busan International Film Festival-A Window on Asian Cinema
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| 2014 | The Boar King |
| 2013 | Zone Pro Site |
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2014 Selected into Culinary Cinema of Berlin International Film Festival (European premiere)
2014 Best Narrative Feature of Taipei Film Awards (nominee)
2014 CinemAsia Film Festival in Amsterdam
2014 Washington D.C. International Film Festival
2014 Food Film Festival in Amsterdam (Audience Award)
2014 Asian Film Festival (Italy) (Best Film Award)
2014 FEAST: Food & Film Festival (Victoria Film Festival)
2014 Art Film Fest (Slovakia)
2014 New York Asian Film Festival (Audience Award)
2014 Milwaukee Film Festival
2014 Kolkata International Film Festival
2014 Devour! The Food Film Fest (Canada) (Golden Tine Award for Best Feature Drama)
2014 Jakarta International Film Festival
2014 Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival
2014 Bengaluru International Film Festival
2013 Selected into Open Cinema of Busan International Film Festival (international premiere)
2013 Hawaii International Film Festival
2013 Tokyo International Film Festival
2013 Hong Kong Asian Film Festival
2013 Taiwan Film Days in San Francisco
2013 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
2013 San Diego Asian Film Festival
2013 Taiwanese Student Association, Oregon State University (public screening)
2013 Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year (for YEH Ju-Feng) (winner) and Best Original Film Song (nominee) of Golden Horse Awards
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| 2013 | The Sandwich Man (Digital Restoration) |
| 2013 | Dust In The Wind (Digital Restoration) |
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1987 Festival des 3 Continents-Best Cinematography, Best Score
1987 Troia International Film Festival-Best Director 1987 Tokyo International Film Festival |
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| 2011 | Ten Plus Ten |
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2011 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Opening Film
2012 Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin Panorama
Platinum Remi Award for Art Direction in the category of Film & Video Production at WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in 2013 (winner)
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| 2006 | Island Etude |
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2007 Taipei Film Festival, Media recommendation and Judges Awards
2007 Japan Ocean Film Festival, Judges Award 2007 Vancouver Film Festival 2007 Asian Ocean Film Festival IN Opening 2007 Academy Awards 2008 Seattle International Film Festival 2009 Deauville Asian Film Festival |
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| 2000 | A ONE AND A TWO |
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2000 The 53rd Cannes International Film Festival, Best Director Award
2000 Sarajevo Film Festival, Best Film Award 2000 The 25th Toronto International Film Festival 2000 The 19th Vancouver International Film Festival, Chief Dan George Humanitarian Award 2000 The 38th New York Film Festival 2000 The 36th Chicago International Film Festival 2000 The 5th Pusan International Film Festival, A Window on Asian Cinema Section 2000 The 13th Tokyo International Film Festival 2000 The 44th London Film Festival 2001 The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Closing Film 2001 The 15th Fribourg International Film Festival, Grand Prix Jury Award |
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| 2000 | Pure Accidents |
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2000 37th Golden Horse Awards Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress Nominated
2000 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2000 Taipei Film Festival 2000 The 45th Asia Pacific Film Festival 2001 The 2nd Jeonju International Film Festival |
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| 1998 | 俠盜正傳 |
| 1997 | HHH PORTRAIT OF HOU HSIAO－HSIEN |
| 1996 | MAHJONG |
| 1996 | Buddha Bless America |
| 1995 | Super Citizen Ko |
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1998 Fajr International Film Festival-Best Script Award
1995 Golden Horse Awards-Best Actor 1995 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival |
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| 1995 | 號角響起 |
| 1994 | A Borrowed Life |
| 1994 | THE GOD,THE TAOIST,THE GOBLIN |
| 1993 | 異域Ⅱ孤軍 |
| 1993 | THE PUPPETMASTER |
| 1992 | 阿呆 |
| 1992 | Hill of No Return |
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1992 Golden Horse Award – Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay
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| 1991 | 情定威尼斯 |
| 1991 | 上海假期 |
| 1990 | 兄弟珍重 |
| 1990 | 兩個油漆匠 |
| 1990 | 客途秋恨 |
| 1989 | 風雨操場 |
| 1989 | 寒假有夠長 |
| 1989 | A City of Sadness |
| 1989 | 感恩歲月 |
| 1989 | 魯冰花 |
| 1988 | 老科的最後一個秋天 |
| 1988 | 老師，有問題 |
| 1988 | 大頭仔 |
| 1988 | 大頭仔（台語） |
| 1988 | AUTUMN TEMPEST |
| 1987 | 大遠景 |
| 1987 | Daughter of the Nile |
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2016 Berlin International Film Festival-Retrospective - Berlinale Classics
1987 Golden Horse Awards: Best Score 1987 Italy Turin Intl. Fest.: Special Jury Award 1988 Hong Kong Intl. Film Fest. 1988 Cannes Intl. Film Fest. 1988 Pesaro Film Fest. 1988 Jerusalem Film Fest. 1988 La Rochelle International Film Festival 1988 Gijon Intl. Film Fest. for Children & Young People 1988 Edinburgh Film Fest. 1988 Locarno Intl. Film Fest. 1988 The New York Film Fest. 1988 Toronto Intl. Film Fest. 1988 Vancouver Intl. Film Fest. 1988 Mostra Intl.de Cinema 1988 Chicago Intl. Film Fest. 1988 London Film Fest. 1989 Boston Film Fest.?Seattle Intl. Film Fest. 1990 Orleans Cinema Festival, France 1991 Montreal World Film Fest. |
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| 1987 | 芳草碧連天 |
| 1987 | Be My Lovely Child Again |
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1988 Asia Pacific Film Festiva - Best Supporting Actress
1987 Golden Horse Award - Best Supporting Actress
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| 1987 | 校園青春樂 |
| 1987 | Osmanthus Alley |
| 1986 | 校園檔案 |
| 1986 | Dust in The Wind |
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1987 Nantes Fest. Of Three Continents, Best cinematography, Best score.
1987 Hong Kong Intl. Film Fest. 1987 Sydney Flm Fest. 1987 Jerusalem Film Fest. 1987 Troia Intl. Film Fest. 1987 London Film Fest. 1987 Hawaii Film Fest. 1987 Edinburgh Film Fest. 1987 Tokyo Intl. Film Fest. 1987 Toronto Intl. Film Fest. 1987 Mostra Intl.de Cinema 1987 Vancouver Intl. Film Fest. 1987 Montrel International World Film Festival 1987 Asian Pacific Film Fest. 1988 Fest. Intl. de Films Fribourg 1988 Pesaro Film Fest. 1988 La Rochelle Interntioanl Film Festival, France 1990 Chicago Intl. Film Fest. 1990 Asian American Internatinal Film Fesitval 1990 Toronto Intl. Film Fest.: Hou Hsiao-hsian Retrospective |
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| 1985 | 台北神話 |
| 1985 | 八番坑口的新娘 |
| 1985 | Taipei Story |
| 1985 | 打鬼救夫 |
| 1985 | 好個翹課天 |
| 1985 | Woman of Wrath |
| 1985 | 國四英雄傳 |
| 1985 | 唐朝綺麗男 |
| 1985 | My Favorite Season |
| 1985 | 慈悲的滋味 |
| 1984 | 戰爭前夕 |
| 1984 | 頑皮男生俏女生 |
| 1984 | A Lily in the Valley |
| 1984 | Old Mo's Second Spring |
| 1984 | 在室男 |
| 1984 | 小爸爸的天空 |
| 1984 | Nature is Quiet Beautiful |
| 1983 | All The King’s Men |
| 1983 | 又見阿Q |
| 1983 | 出外人 |
| 1983 | The Sandwich Man |
| 1983 | Papa? Can You Hear Me Sing? |
| 1983 | 香火 |
| 1983 | THAT DAY ON THE BEACH |
| 1982 | 動員令 |
| 1982 | 畢業班 |
| 1982 | 慧眼識英雄 |
| 1982 | 誰是無業遊民 |
| 1982 | 超級勇士 |
| 1982 | 台北甜心 |
| 1982 | 四年二班 |
| 1981 | 同班同學 |
| 1981 | 男女合班 |
| 1981 | 飛越補習班 |
| 1981 | 歡喜冤家 |
| 1980 | 明天只有我 |
| 1980 | 年輕人的心聲 |
| 1980 | 西風的故鄉 |
As Film Director：
1994 A Borrowed Life
1996 Buddha Bless America
2011 10+10 (segment "A Grocery Called Forever")
As Scriptwriter：
1979 Gone with Honor
1980 The Blind Love
1980 Sailing for Tomorrow
1981 Tong Ban Tong Xue
1981 Nan Nu He Ban
1981 Kuo-Hao Crams for College
1981 The Merry Couple
1982 The Switch
1982 The City
1982 A Lily in the Valley
1982 Taipei Sweet Heart
1982 The Graduation Trip
1982 Return of the Electric Love
1982 Portrait of a Fanatic
1982 Happy Days in the Army
1982 Chao Ji Yong Shi
1982 Dangerous Seventeen
1982 Graduating Class
1982 I Shall Return
1983 Send in the Clowns
1983 The Sandwich Man
1983 That Day on the Beach
1983 Traveller
1983 Papa, Can You Hear Me Sing?
1983 All The King's Men
1984 The First Stitch
1984 Old Mao's Second Spring
1984 The Woman of Wrath
1984 Out of the Blue
1984 North South West East
1984 Nature Is Quiet Beautiful
1984 Impending War
1884 Man Niu De Er Zi
1985 Taste of Mercy
1985 The Loser, the Hero
1985 Myth of a City
1985 Story of a Bride
1985 Wu Nu
1985 The Campus Incidents
1985 Da Gui Jiu Fu
1985 One Bright Day
1986 Dust in the Wind
1986 The First Switch
1887 The Two of Us
1987 Love Is Grown With Flower
1987 Be My Lovely Child Again
1987 Osmanthus Alley
1988 Sir, Tell Me Why
1988 Lao Ke De Zui Hou Yi Ge Qiu Tian
1988 The Third Bridge
1988 Gangland Odyssey
1988 Autumn Tempest
1989 Honor The Father
1989 The Long Vocation
1989 Young and Happy School Music
1989 Two Painters
1989 A City of Sadness
1989 Lessons of the Playground
1989 The Dull-Ice Flower
1990 Fraternity
1990 Song of the Exile
1990 Sunless Days
1990 My American Grandson
1990 Fatal Recall
1991 Zodiac Killers
1991 Love in Venice
1992 Hill of No Return
1992 Joe-Goody
1993 The Puppet Master
1993 End of the Road
1994 A Borrowed Life
1994 The God, the Taoist, the Goblin
1995 Super Citizen Ko
1996 Forever Friends
1996 Buddha Bless America
1998Chivalrous Legend
2011 10+10 (segment "A Grocery Called Forever")
2013 A New Year, the Same Days
As Actor
1983 That Day on the Beach
1984 Out of the Blue
1984 I Love Mary
1985 My Favorite Season
1985 Taipei Story
1985 Tong Chee Yi Li Nan
1987 Daughter of the Nile
1989 A City of Sadness
1996 Buddha Bless America
1996 Mahjong
2000 Pure Accidents
2000 Yi Yi
2000 Bloody Secret
2007 Island Etude
2013 Zone Pro Site
2013 Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above (Narrator)
2014 The Boar King
2015 Fly, Kite Fly (Narrator)
2016 Mole of Life
2016 My Egg Boy
As Executive Producer
2000 Pure Accidents
