FENG XIAO GANG "Crocodile Gang Boss"

Born in Beijing, director and screenwriter Feng Xiao Gang spent several years working as a scenic painter in a People's Liberation Army theater troupe before breaking into television as a writer and director. He first gained fame across China a decade ago as co-writer of the 25-part hit TV series Stories of the Editorial Department.

Subsequently, he was co-writer and co-director of another successful TV series, A Native of Beijing in New York. In addition, he directed the 10-part TV series Chicken Feathers in 1994. Shortly afterwards he made his film debut as director of Love Forever Lost. In 1995 and 1996, he returned to TV, directing the series Early Death of Love and The Other Side of the Moon. Feng Xiao Gang is best known in China for the series of comedies he has made in recent years, which have set box office records throughout the country.

In 1997, he wrote and directed Party A, Party B. In 1998, Feng released the smash hit Be There or Be Square, the first film from the PRC to be shot entirely on location in the U.S. 1999 saw the release of Sorry, Baby. In 2000, Feng once more proved his versatility and range with the release of Sigh, a drama of marital infidelity with a script by the well-known novelist Wang Shuo. Sigh won honors for best film, best script, best actor, and best actress at the 2000 Cairo International Film Festival.

His recent film Cell Phone, a comedy about China's obsession with cell phones, is Feng's highest grossing film in China to date.