Wu Tianming

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Wu Tianming (Simplified Chinese: 吴天明; Traditional Chinese: 吳天明; pinyin: Wú Tiānmíng) (born October 19, 1939) is a Chinese film director.

Born in Shaanxi Province, China, Wu Tianming attended the Beijing Film Academy, majoring in directing before the Cultural Revolution. As part of China's Fourth Generation filmmakers, his style is heavily influenced by his studies in Soviet Social Realism, telling realistic stories in a realistic manner.

He has directed several notable feature films.

Wu was the head of China's renowned Xian Studio during the beginning in 1984, until political differences forced him to flee to the United States in 1989. Because of his position as the studio head and his oversight of such widely known "Fifth Generation" name directors as Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, he is sometimes referred to as the "Godfather of the Fifth Generation."

Wu returned to China from his U.S. exile in 1994, and is currently working in the Chinese film and television industry.

He gives himself a small speaking cameo in all of his films.