Mu Fei

Born inShanghai,China, Fei Mu is considered by many to be one of the major film directors prior to thecommunist revolutionin 1949.Known for his artistic style and costume dramas, Fei made his first film, 1933'sNight in the City(produced by theLianhua Film Company), at the young age of 27, and he was met with both critical and popular acclaim.Continuing to make films with Lianhua, Fei directed films throughout the 1930s and became a major talent in the industry, with films like 1936'sBlood on Wolf Mountainand 1935'sSong of China. Fei's legacy as one of China's greatest directors was sealed with his 1948 influential masterpieceSpring in a Small Townabout a love triangle in post-war China. In 2005,Spring in a Small Townwas declared the greatest Chinese film ever made by the Hong Kong Film Critics Association.Fei remained active in this so-called "Second Golden Age" and also directed China's first color filmRemorse at Death(1948), which incorporated Beijing Opera and starredMei Lanfang.Following theCommunistrevolution in 1949, Fei Mu, along with many other artists and intellectuals fled to Hong Kong. There he foundedLongma Film Company("Dragon-Horse Films") withZhu ShilinandFei Luyiand produced (under the Longma name) Zhu Shilin'sThe Flower Girl(1951).Following his death inHong Kongin 1951, Fei Mu and his work fell into obscurity, as much of his filmography was forgotten or ignored on the Mainland, rejected by leftist critics as indicative of rightist ideologies.It was not until the 1980s, when the China Film Archive re-opened after being closed down during theCultural Revolution, did Fei Mu's work find a new audience. Most significant was a new print made by the China Film Archive from the original negative ofSpring in a Small Town..