Johnnie To is a Hong Kong filmmaker. He has contributed to many projects, as a producer, director or a combination of the two. He made his directorial debut in 1980, when he directed The Enigmatic Case, a film starring Damian Lau.
In 1996, To began producing and directing films under his independent production company Milkyway Image, a company that he co-founded with frequent collaborator Wai Ka-fai. Commercially successful in his native Hong Kong, To's films have regularly appeared at international film festivals, most notably in Europe and North America.
To's biggest international successes include Breaking News, Election, Election 2 (a.k.a. Triad Election), Exiled, Mad Detective and Drug War; these films have been distributed theatrically in France and the United States and widely sold to foreign countries.
Filmography This is a list of films which was participated by Johnnie To.
Films Year Film Credit Notes Director Producer 1978 The Good, the Bad and the Beauties As assistant director 1980 The Enigmatic Case Feature directorial debut 1985 It's a Drink! It's a Bomb! As second unit director 1986 Happy Ghost III Royal Warriors As second unit director 1987 Seven Years Itch Magneficent Warriors As second unit director 1988 It's No Heaven TVB television film The Betrayal TVB television film The Eighth Happiness The Big Heat Co-directed with Andrew Kam 1989 The Iron Butterfly Television film Story of Nam Television filmAlso as screenwriter All About Ah-Long NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Director 1990 Behind Bars Television film The Iron Butterfly 2 Television film The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon A Moment of Romance The Story of My Son Also as screenwriter Tomorrow Television film 1991 The Royal Scoundrel Co-directed with Jonathan Chik Casino Raiders II 1992 Lucky Encounter Justice, My Foot! 1993 The Heroic Trio The Bare-Footed Kid A Moment of Romance II The Mad Monk Executioners Co-directed and produced with Tony Ching 1994 Dead End 1995 Tomorrow Also as screenwriter and story writer Fatal Assignment Only Fools Fall in Love Loving You... 1996 A Moment of Romance III Beyond Hypothermia Hong KongKorean co-production 1997 Lifeline Final Justice Too Many Ways to Be No. 1 The Odd One Dies Intruder 1998 The Longest Nite Expect the Unexpected A Hero Never Dies 1999 Where a Good Man Goes Running Out of Time NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Sealed With a Kiss The Mission WonHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Horse Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best FilmWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature Film 2000 Spacked Out WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit Needing You... Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-faiNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Help!!! Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai Comeuppance 2001 Wu yen Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai Gimme Gimme Love on a Diet Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-faiNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Fulltime Killer Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai Running Out of Time 2 Co-directed with Law Wing-cheong 2002 Second Time Around Fat Choi Spirit Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai My Left Eye Sees Ghosts 2003 Love Under the Sun Love for All Seasons Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai Looking for Mr. Perfect PTU WonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best FilmWonHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature FilmNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Turn Left, Turn Right Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-fai Running on Karma Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-faiWonHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Bauhinia Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Bauhinia Award for Best FilmNominatedChinese Film Media Award for Best Director (Hong Kong/Taiwan region)NominatedChinese Film Media Award for Best Film (Hong Kong/Taiwan region) Memory of the Youth 2004 Breaking News WonGolden Horse Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritWonGorilla Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature Film Throw Down WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Director Yesterday Once More 2005 Election WonHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmWonGorilla Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Director 2006 2 Become 1 Election 2 WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorNominatedChinese Film Media Award for Best Director (Hong Kong/Taiwan region)NominatedChinese Film Media Award for Best Film (Hong Kong/Taiwan region) Exiled WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best DirectorWonGolden Bauhinia Award for Best FilmWonGorilla Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Lion 2007 Hooked on You WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit Eye in the Sky WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Triangle Co-directed and produced with Tsui Hark and Ringo LamWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit Mad Detective Co-directed and produced with Wai Ka-faiNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Lion 2008 Linger Sparrow NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedAsia Pacific Screen Award for Best Feature FilmNominatedAsia Pacific Screen Award for Achievement in Directing Tactical Unit – The Code Tactical Unit – No Way Out Tactical Unit – Human Nature 2009 Tactical Unit – Comrades in Arms WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit Tactical Unit – Partners Vengeance NominatedPalme d'Or Accident 2011 Don't Go Breaking My Heart Punished Life Without Principle WonGolden Horse Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature Film 2012 In Manchurian Dynasty Romancing in Thin Air WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit Motorway NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Drug War WonSan Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Foreign Language FilmWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorWonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmWonChinese Film Media Award for Best Director (China region)WonChinese Film Media Award for Best Film (China region)NominatedAsian Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Director 2013 Blind Detective 2014 A Complicated Story Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2 2015 Office WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of MeritNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best DirectorNominatedHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Film 2016 Trivisa WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best FilmWonHong Kong Film Award for Best FilmNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Feature Film Three NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best DirectorNominatedGolden Horse Award for Best Director 2019 Chasing Dream 2020 Septet: The Story of Hong Kong Directed and co-wrote the screenplay for the segment "Bonanza"WonHong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Film of Merit 2023 Mad Fate NominatedHong Kong Film Award for Best Film Election 3
Television No One Is Innocent (1981 TV miniseries) – Director (with Clarence Fok) What If (2025) – producer, executive producer
To also served as one of the production services supervisor for the American film Push.
References
External links
Johnnie To at LoveHKFilm.com