Beyond the Great Wall: Chinese directors to watch

While Zhang Yimou is arguably the most famous of mainland China's directors, he's just one of the many filmmakers shaping the modern face of Chinese cinema. Below are a few key players whose films are available for rent locally

Chen Kaige: A classmate of Zhang's. Chen's best known films are "Yellow Earth" (1984) and "Farewell My Concubine" (1993).

Tian Zhuangzhuang: Another icon of Zhang's generation, revered for "The Horse Thief" (1986) and "The Blue Kite" (1993).

Ang Lee: A name made hugely famous by the barrier-breaking "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," (2000) Lee has been Taiwan's most promising filmmaker ever since "Pushing Hands" (1992), "The Wedding Banquet" (1993, right), and "Eat Drink Man Woman" (1994).

Wang Xiaoshuai: Most non-Asians know Wang best as the director of "Beijing Bicycle" (2001), but that's only because he directed his unsanctioned "Frozen" (1996) under the pseudonym Wu Ming ("No Name"). If you like Wang's style, also rent Lou Ye's "Suzhou River" (2000) and Lu Chuan's "The Missing Gun" (2002).

Wong Kar Wai: One of the most recognizable names in Hong Kong cinema, Wong gave us "Chungking Express" (1994, left), "Ashes of Time" (1994), and "In the Mood for Love" (2000). Now American fans eagerly await this year's "2046."

Pick a Zhang, any Zhang: Though Zhang Yuan's name is at the forefront of independent mainland filmmakers, his groundbreaking "Beijing Bastards" (1993) is nearly impossible to find. So we suggest renting something by the equally brilliant Zhang Yang, whose "Shower" (1999) and "Quitting" (2001) are both highly creative.

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