Ai Weiwei

Director · Born August 28, 1957 · Beijing, China

Biography

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist. Ai grew up in the far north-west of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of schools in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Capital International Airport on 3 April, for allegedly economic crimes. He was detained for 81 days without charge. Ai Weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in Chinese cultural development, an architect of Chinese modernism, and one of the nation's most vocal political commentators. Ai Weiwei encapsulates political conviction and his personal poetry in his many sculptures, photographs and public works. In doing this, he makes use of Chinese art forms to display the Chinese political and social issues. After being allowed to leave China in 2015, he has lived in Berlin, Germany, and, since 2019, in Cambridge, UK, with his family, working and traveling internationally.

Directed 34

2020s

2022
Rohingya
Director
2020
Cockroach
Director
CoroNation
Director
Vivos
Director

2010s

2019
The Rest
Director
2017
Human Flow
Director
江天勇律师
Director
2016
Heaven and Earth
Director
2015
Fukushima Art Project
Director
Straight
Director
2014
You Know What I Mean
Director
Ai Weiwei's Appeal ¥15,220,910.50
Director
Play of the Play
Director
2013
Stay Home
Director
Wenchuan Rebar
Director
Ping'an Yueqing
Director
2012
4851
Director
Discard the Old Path of Closed Doors and Rigidity and Reject Evil Attempts to Change the Party's Banner
Director
The Mala Desert
Director
The Crab House
Director
Ordos 100
Director
Chang'an Boulevard
Director
Beijing: The Third Ring
Director
Beijing: The Second Ring
Director
2011
Flower Good Moon Round
Director
2010
Jingmei Wang
Director
Sanhua
Director
A Beautiful Life
Director
One Recluse
Director

2000s

2009
Little Girl's Cheeks
Director
Disturbing the Peace
Director
冯正虎回家
Director
2007
Fairytale
Director
2003
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Director

Produced 24

2020s

2022
Rohingya
Producer
2020
Cockroach
Producer
CoroNation
Producer
Vivos
Producer

2010s

2019
The Rest
Producer
Ximei
Executive Producer
2017
Human Flow
Producer
2016
Heaven and Earth
Producer
2014
You Know What I Mean
Producer
Ai Weiwei's Appeal ¥15,220,910.50
Producer
2013
Stay Home
Producer
Ping'an Yueqing
Producer
2012
The Mala Desert
Producer
The Crab House
Producer
Ordos 100
Producer
Chang'an Boulevard
Producer
Beijing: The Third Ring
Producer
Beijing: The Second Ring
Producer
2010
Sanhua
Producer
One Recluse
Producer

2000s

2009
Disturbing the Peace
Producer
Little Girl's Cheeks
Producer
2007
Fairytale
Producer
2003
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Producer

Acted in 11

2020s

2024
The Trainer
Ai Weiwei
2022
Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War
Movie

2010s

2019
Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies
Movie
The Rest
Movie · Documentary
2018
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
TV · 9 Seasons · Talk · War
2017
The Chinese Lives of Uli Sigg
Movie
2014
The Sand Storm
Movie
2013
Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case
Movie
2011
Hormone
Movie
2010
Ai Weiwei: Without Fear or Favour
Movie

2000s

2009
Little Girl's Cheeks
Movie

Edited 5

2010s

2012
Chang'an Boulevard
Editor
Beijing: The Third Ring
Editor
Beijing: The Second Ring
Editor
2010
One Recluse
Editor

2000s

2007
Fairytale
Editor

Other crew 4

2010s

2012
Chang'an Boulevard
Cinematography
Beijing: The Third Ring
Cinematography
Beijing: The Second Ring
Cinematography
2010
One Recluse
Cinematography

Camera 2

2020s

2020
Vivos
Director of Photography

2010s

2017
Human Flow
Director of Photography

Appearances22

2020s

2025
Ai Weiwei's Turandot
Self
2024
A Clockwork Orange: The Prophecy
Self
2023
Laogai: Prison Nation - Inside China's Ruling System
Self - Interviewee · 2 episodes
2022
Ithaka
Self
Aux arts et cætera
Self · 1 episode