Clara Law Cheuk-yiu, a renowned filmmaker, was born in 1957 in the former Portuguese colony of Macau. She pursued her academic endeavors at The University of Hong Kong, graduating with a degree in English Literature. Law's thirst for creative expression led her to the National Film and Television School in the United Kingdom, where she studied directing and screenwriting from 1982 to 1985.
Her graduation film, They Say the Moon is Fuller Here (1985),garnered significant recognition, winning the Silver Plaque at the prestigious Chicago International Film Festival. Following her return to Hong Kong in 1985, Law joined the drama unit of Radio Television Hong Kong's (RTHK) television division, directing over twenty single-episode dramas.
Law's transition to filmmaking began in 1988 with the release of her first dramatic feature, The Other Half and the Other Half. The following year, she directed The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus, scripted by Lillian Lee Pik-wah. Her 1992 film, Autumn Moon, earned her the Golden Leopard Award at the Locarno Film Festival and the European Art Theatres Association's Best Picture award.
In 1993, Law's period drama, Temptation of a Monk, was selected to compete for the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival and went on to win Best Picture at the Créteil International Women's Film Festival in France. Law relocated to Australia with her husband, Eddie Fong, in 1995, while continuing her filmmaking career.
Her 1996 film, Floating Life, received widespread acclaim, winning the Silver Leopard at Locarno and collecting Grand Prix Asturias and Best Director prizes at the Gijón International Film Festival. Law's 2000 film, The Goddess of 1967, earned her the Best Director award at the Chicago Film Festival, while the film's young lead, Rose Byrne, received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
Law's 2004 documentary, Letters to Ali, explored the life of a young asylum seeker in Australia and was selected as one of the 100 greatest films in the history of Australian cinema. She eventually returned to Chinese-language cinema with the Hong Kong-Chinese production, Like a Dream (2009).
Throughout her illustrious career, Law has collaborated with her husband, Eddie Fong, who has written and produced most of her films. In 2010, they co-created the short film, Red Earth.
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