Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang (born 21 July 1953) is a Taiwanese actress, writer, singer, producer and director.[2] In 1992, she was a member of the jury at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival.[3] In 2018, she was one of the jury members of the main competition section at the 75th Venice International Film Festival.
Sylvia Chang | |
|---|---|
Chang at the 57th Golden Bell Awards in October 2022 | |
| Born | 21 July 1953 |
| Other names | Zhang Aijia |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer, director, singer, producer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Spouse(s) | Bob Liu (m. 1978; div. 1984)Billy Wang (m. 1991) |
| Children | 1 |
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese | 張艾嘉 |
| Simplified Chinese | 张艾嘉 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Zhāng Àijiā |
| Jyutping | Zoeng1 Ngaai6gaa1 |
Early life edit
Chang was born in Chiayi, Taiwan. She dropped out of school when she was 16, and started her career as a radio DJ.[4] When she was 18 years old she acted in her first film.[5]
Career edit
Chang acted in her first film, The Tattooed Dragon (龍虎金剛) (1973), when she was 18 years old.[6] Chang often attempted to do her own stunts in the four-part film series Aces Go Places.[7]
She stated in an interview with film editor Clarence Tsui, "I still think Hong Kong's film industry is male-dominated".[8] She also believes that "There aren't many male filmmakers who would write scripts for women".[8] She helped write the script of Run Papa Run,[9] based on the novel by Benny Li Shuan Yan,[10] that follows a man who belongs to the Triad and the relationship he has with his mother, wife, and daughter.[6] Chang said in an interview that, "I thought why don't I explore the gentler side of men".
Chang first began performing in theatre productions more than 30 years ago. She returned to the stage in the production of Design For Living that premiered in November 2008 and went on into 2009.[11] Chang stated in an interview that, "The reason for me to take on stage play again after 20 years is because I was lured by the director, he has invited handsome guys like Zheng Yuan Chang [sic] and David Huang into the play".[11] Critics have remarked upon the versatility in her roles along with her willingness to always try for something new.[12]
Chang is also a singer and her music has become popular in karaoke,[4] where her song "The Cost of Love" is commonly sung.[4]
In the 1980s, Chang's second film to direct, Passion, which she wrote and also starred in, won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress.[4] She has stated, "I had never went to any school as a director or a filmmaker, so all my film education actually was from the set".[13]
For a time, Chang was the head producer of New Cinema City in Taiwan, but left a few years after joining.[13] In 20 30 40, she played the 40-year-old woman protagonist, wrote and directed it.[9]
Critical reception edit
Chang once said of her films that, "I've always felt that animation or special effects shouldn't just be limited to science-fiction films and their ilk. Dramas can also play around with them".[6] One critic wrote of her, that "In an industry that kisses young actresses with celebrity, then swallows them and spits them out, Chang has a sequoia's longevity. She is the only Hong Kong actress of her generation—the early '70s—to keep starring in movies".[5]
Chang's films have been accepted into the London and Toronto International film Festivals.[14] She has served on the jury for the Berlin Film Festival.[14] She also holds the record for the most nominations for Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actress, with nine nominations and 2 wins.[citation needed]
Personal life edit
Chang married Hong Kong-based journalist Bob Liu in 1979. They divorced in 1984. Chang married Taiwanese businessman Billy Wang Jing-xiong in 1991 and they have one son, Oscar. She also has two stepsons.[1]
In July 2000, Chang's nine-year-old son Oscar was kidnapped and held for a ransom of HK $15 million.[1] The police found him after a few days, safe, and arrested the kidnappers.[15] Chang stated, "With your life, you have to move on, there's no other choice; so, out of no choice, then, it's a matter of your attitude".[13]
Philanthropy edit
Chang is an advocate and a "life-long volunteer" for World Vision International,[16] the humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization. She created an advertisement, sponsored by World Vision, to promote the company, World Vision Advertisement on YouTube. She is a member and advocate for the World Vision-sponsored "30 Hour Famine."
Filmography edit
As actress edit
- Kong zhong wu shi (1973)
- The Tattooed Dragon (1973) as Ai-Chia
- Xiao ying xiong da nao Tang Ren jie (1974) as Lin Hsiu-yin
- Slaughter in San Francisco (1974)
- Shi qi shi qi shi ba (1974)
- Bruce: Hong Kong Master (1975)
- The Story of Four Girls (1975)
- A Mao zheng chuan (1976)
- Bi yun tian (1976)
- Victory (1976)
- Wen nuan zai qiu tian (1976) as Hsu Hsiao-hui
- Eight Hundred Heroes (1976)
- Warmth in Autumn (1976)
- Qiu chan (1976)
- Lang hua (1976)
- Xing yu (1976)
- Luo ye piao piao (1976)
- The Lady Killer (1976)
- Mitra (1977) as Mitra
- The Longest Bridge (1977)
- The Golden Age (1977)
- A Pirate of Love (1977)
- Zuo ri chong chong (1977)
- Qing se shan mai (1977)
- Shan liang de ri zi (1977)
- Tai bei qi qi (1977)
- Taibei liu shi liu (1977)
- Jin yu liang yuan hong lou meng (1977) as Lin Daiyu
- Feng yu zhao yang (1977)
- Dan dan san yue qing meng long (1977)
- Ai qing wo zhao dao le (1977)
- Shuo huang shi jie (1978)
- M*A*S*H (1979, TV Series) as Sooni
- The Secret (1979) - Lin Jeng-ming.[17]
- Legend of the Mountain (1979) as Cloud
- Crazy Disaster (1979) as Lin Jeng-ming
- Ma feng nu (1979)
- Tian xia yi da xiao (1980)
- The Imperious Princess (1980) as Princess Sheng Ping
- White Jasmine (1980)
- Da xiao jiang jun (1980)
- Xue jian leng ying bao (1980)
- Yuan (1980)
- Attack Force Z (1981) as Chien Hua
- Zhong shen da shi (1981) as Chu Wei
- The Funniest Movie (1981)
- My Grandfather (1982)
- Aces Go Places (1982) as Supt. Nancy Ho
- Nan xiong nan di (1982)
- Xue jian gui xiang lu (1982)
- He Lives by Night (1982) as Sissy
- In Our Time (1982)
- Aces Go Places 2 (1983) as Supt. Nancy Ho
- 1938 Da jing qi (1983) as Su San
- Cabaret of the Streets (1983)
- That Day, on the Beach (1983) as Jiali
- Cabaret Tears (1983)
- Aces Go Places 3 (1984) as Supt. Nancy Ho
- Funny Face (1984)
- Shanghai Blues (1984) as Shu-Shu
- Double Trouble (1984)
- The Story in Sorghum Field (1984)
- My Favorite Season (1985) as Liu Xiang‑mei
- Crazy Romance (1985) as Cheung Ka-ka
- Ba Fan keng kou de xin niang (1985)
- Aces Go Places IV (1986) as Supt. Nancy Ho
- Lucky Stars Go Places (1986) as Quito
- Passion (1986) as Wendy Pai
- Immortal Story (1986) as Chang Mei Ling
- Sister Cupid (1987)
- Kidnapped (1987)
- Seven Years Itch (1987) as Sylvia
- Soursweet (1988) as Lily
- Yellow Story (1988) as Mrs. Hui
- Chicken and Duck Talk (1988) as Mrs. Hui
- All About Ah-Long (1989) as Sylvia Poon / 'Por-Por'
- Full Moon in New York (1989) as Wang Hsiung-Ping
- Eight Taels of Gold (1989) as Odds and Ends
- Two Painters (1989)
- The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon (1990) as Hung Leung-yuk
- Queen of Temple Street (1990) as Big Sis Wah
- My Mother's Tea House (1990)
- A Rascal's Tale (1991)
- Sisters of the World Unite (1991) as Sylvia Lau
- The Banquet (1991) as Herself
- The Twin Dragons (1992) as Mrs. Ma (Twins' Mother)
- Lucky Encounter (1992) as Pregnant Woman
- C'est la vie, mon chéri (1993) as Deputy Director of Hospital
- Huan ying (1993)
- In Between (1994) as Anna Lau (segment "Yuan fu julebu")
- Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) as Jin-Rong
- Killer Lady (1995) as Show Show
- I Want to Go on Living (1995) as Pui Yan
- The Fragile Heart (1996, TV Series) as Dr. Zhao Quing
- A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation (1997) as Shine (Mandarin version, voice)
- The Red Violin (1998) as Xiang Pei (Shanghai)
- King of Stanley Market (1998)
- Tempting Heart (1999) as Cheryl
- Forever and Ever (2001) as Mrs. Tam Li Min-Chun
- 20 30 40 (2004) as Lily
- Rice Rhapsody (2004) as Jen
- American Fusion (2005) as Yvonne
- The Go Master (2006) as Shu Wen - Wu's mother
- Buddha Mountain (2010) as Chang Yueqin
- Mountains May Depart (2015) as Mia
- Office (2015) as Winnie Chang
- Shuttle Life (2017) as Li Jun
- Love Education (2017) as Qiu Huiying
- Long Day's Journey into Night (2018)
- Jìyuántái qihào (2019) as Mrs. Mei
- The Garden of Evening Mists (2019) as Older Teoh Yun Ling
- Are You Lonesome Tonight? (2021) as Liang's mother
- A Light Never Goes Out (2021) as Mei-heung
As filmmaker edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Once Upon a Time | Co-director, co-writer | |
| 1986 | Passion | Director, writer | |
| 1987 | Yellow Story | Director | |
| 1989 | All About Ah-Long | Co-writer (story) | |
| 1991 | Sisters of the World Unite | Director, co-writer, producer | |
| 1992 | Mary from Beijing | Director, writer | |
| 1992 | Three Summers | Co-writer, producer | |
| 1994 | In Between | Director, writer, producer |
|
| 1995 | Siao Yu | Director, co-writer | |
| 1995 | I Want to Go on Living | Co-writer | |
| 1996 | Tonight Nobody Goes Home | Director, co-writer | |
| 1998 | Bishonen | Executive producer | |
| 1999 | Tempting Heart | Director, co-writer | |
| 2002 | Princess D | Director, co-writer, producer | |
| 2004 | 20 30 40 | Director, co-writer | |
| 2008 | Run Papa Run | Director, co-writer | |
| 2007 | Happy Birthday | Co-writer | |
| 2011 | 10+10 | Writer | segment "The Dusk of the Gods" |
| 2012 | My Way | Executive producer | Documentary |
| 2015 | Murmur of the Hearts | Director, co-writer | |
| 2015 | Office | Writer | |
| 2017 | Love Education | Director, co-writer | |
| 2021 | Hero | Director | segment "Hong Kong" |
Discography edit
- Kolin Records (歌林)
- 1973 Never Say Goodbye 別說再見
- 1974 Tearfully Say to You 含淚向你說
- 1977 Farewell (惜別)
- 1980 Maybe / We Were Young (也许 / 我們曾經年輕)
- 1981 Childhood (童年)
- 1985 Busy and Blind (忙與盲)
- 1986 Do You Love Me? (你愛我嗎)
- 1987 Xi shuo (細說), lit. "clarify" or "elaborate"
- 1992 The Price of Love (愛的代價)
Awards and nominations edit
References edit
- ^ a b c Fraser, Niall (13 July 2000). "Star's kidnapped son locked in suitcase". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- ^ "Sylvia Chang". chinesemov.com. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
- ^ "Berlinale: 1992 Juries". berlinale.de. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d . English.cri.cn. Archived from the original on 6 March 2010.
- ^ a b . TIME. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011.
- ^ a b c "The Collaborator : An interview with Sylvia Chang". Far East Film Festival. 3 May 2014.
- ^ . TIME. 18 October 1999. Archived from the original on 27 December 2011.
- ^ a b "Filmmaker Sylvia Chang defies gender rules". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
- ^ a b Sylvia Chang in the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Run Papa Run, IMDB
- ^ a b "Starnews: Edward Lam is using Joe Cheng to 'lure' Sylvia Chang to appear on the stage play again". AsianFanaticFans. 20 October 2008.
- ^ "Sylvia Chang: from Actress to Director". China Daily. 21 April 2004.
- ^ a b c "Chinese actress/director Sylvia Chang interview Transcript". CNN. 27 October 2004. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Sylvia Chang". Filmbug. 2 January 2003.
- ^ The Straits Times. "Sylvia Chang's son "beaten by abductors' - Worldnews.com". Article.wn.com.
- ^ "Joy of Sponsorship". Worldvision.org.hk.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (20 July 2020). "Venice Film Festival to Honor Tilda Swinton, Ann Hui With Golden Lions for Career Achievement". variety.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ "Asian Film Awards: 'Youth' Wins Top Prize From 'Demon Cat'". Variety. 17 March 2018.
- ^ "导演协会年度表彰《嘉年华》《芳华》 周冬雨影后". Sina (in Chinese). 22 April 2018.
External links edit
- Sylvia Chang at IMDb
- Sylvia Chang at dianying.com