Johnnie To Kei-Fung, born 22 April 1955, is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his action and crime movies, which have earned him critical respect and a cult following.
His films, often made in collaboration with the same group of actors, screenwriters and cinematographers, frequently explore themes of friendship, fate and the changing face of Hong Kong society. Sometimes described as "multifaceted and chameleonic" due to his ability to switch tones and genres between movies, To is nonetheless seen as having a consistent style, which involves mixing subdued realism and social observation with highly stylized visual and acting elements. To heads the Hong Kong-based production company Milkyway Image with his frequent co-director Wai Ka-Fai.
Known For
The Heroic Trio
(1993)
Director
Running Out of Time
(1999)
Director
Exiled
(2006)
Director
Drug War
(2012)
Director
The Heroic Trio 2: Executioners
(1993)
Director
Throw Down
(2004)
Director
PTU
(2003)
Director
Mad Detective
(2007)
Director
Vengeance
(2009)
Director
Justice, My Foot!
(1992)
Director
Sparrow
(2008)
Director
Election 2
(2006)
Director
Blind Detective
(2013)
Director
The Mission
(1999)
Director
Life Without Principle
(2011)
Director
Running Out of Time 2
(2001)
Director
Full Filmography
Directing
The Enigmatic Case
(1980)
Director
Happy Ghost III
(1986)
Director
Seven Years Itch
(1987)
Director
It's No Heaven
(1988)
Director
The Big Heat
(1988)
Director
The Eighth Happiness
(1988)
Director
The Betrayal
(1988)
Director
All About Ah-Long
(1989)
Director
Story of Nam
(1989)
Director
The Iron Butterfly
(1989)
Director
The Story of My Son
(1990)
Director
Behind Bars
(1990)
Director
The Fun, the Luck & the Tycoon
(1990)
Director
The Iron Butterfly II
(1990)
Director
The Royal Scoundrel
(1991)
Director
Casino Raiders II
(1991)
Director
Justice, My Foot!
(1992)
Director
Lucky Encounter
(1992)
Director
Iron Butterfly III: Tomorrow
(1992)
Director
The Heroic Trio
(1993)
Director
The Mad Monk
(1993)
Director
The Bare-Footed Kid
(1993)
Director
The Heroic Trio 2: Executioners
(1993)
Director
Loving You
(1995)
Director
Dead End
(1995)
Director
A Moment of Romance III
(1996)
Director
Lifeline
(1997)
Director
Expect the Unexpected
(1998)
Co-Director
A Hero Never Dies
(1998)
Director
The Longest Nite
(1998)
Co-Director
The Mission
(1999)
Director
Running Out of Time
(1999)
Director
Where a Good Man Goes
(1999)
Director
Needing You...
(2000)
Director
Help!!!
(2000)
Director
Wu Yen
(2001)
Director
Running Out of Time 2
(2001)
Director
Love on a Diet
(2001)
Director
Fulltime Killer
(2001)
Director
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts
(2002)
Director
Fat Choi Spirit
(2002)
Director
Turn Left, Turn Right
(2003)
Director
PTU
(2003)
Director
Running on Karma
(2003)
Director
Love for All Seasons
(2003)
Director
1:99 Shorts
(2003)
Director
Breaking News
(2004)
Director
Throw Down
(2004)
Director
Yesterday Once More
(2004)
Director
Election
(2005)
Director
Election 2
(2006)
Director
Exiled
(2006)
Director
Mad Detective
(2007)
Director
Triangle
(2007)
Director
Linger
(2008)
Director
Sparrow
(2008)
Director
Vengeance
(2009)
Director
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
(2011)
Director
Life Without Principle
(2011)
Director
Drug War
(2012)
Director
Romancing in Thin Air
(2012)
Director
Blind Detective
(2013)
Director
Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2
(2014)
Director
Office
(2015)
Director
Three
(2016)
Director
Chasing Dream
(2019)
Director
Septet: The Story of Hong Kong
(2022)
Director
Acting
It's No Heaven
(1988)
The Iron Butterfly II
(1990)
The Royal Scoundrel
(1991)
Taxi Driver
The Banquet
(1991)
Sisters of the World Unite
(1991)
Expect the Unexpected
(1998)
Grit & Polish: Heroines from Hong Kong
(2001)
Self
Hong Kong Superstars
(2001)
Himself
Katanas, yakuzas y cintas de video
(2004)
(archive footage)
Code Name: Melville
(2008)
Self
Johnnie Got His Gun!
(2010)
Himself
Boundless
(2013)
Self
The Weaving of a Dream: Johnnie To's Vision and Craft
(2016)
Self
In the Mood for Melville
(2017)
Himself
Production
The Iron Butterfly
(1989)
Producer
Story of Nam
(1989)
Producer
A Moment of Romance
(1990)
Producer
Behind Bars
(1990)
Producer
Iron Butterfly III: Tomorrow
(1992)
Producer
The Heroic Trio 2: Executioners
(1993)
Producer
A Moment of Romance II
(1993)
Producer
The Lone Sabre
(1994)
Producer
Dead End
(1995)
Producer
Only Fools Fall in Love
(1995)
Producer
A Moment of Romance III
(1996)
Producer
Beyond Hypothermia
(1996)
Producer
Intruder
(1997)
Producer
The Odd One Dies
(1997)
Producer
Too Many Ways to Be No. 1
(1997)
Producer
Final Justice
(1997)
Producer
Expect the Unexpected
(1998)
Producer
A Hero Never Dies
(1998)
Producer
The Longest Nite
(1998)
Producer
The Mission
(1999)
Producer
Where a Good Man Goes
(1999)
Producer
Sealed with a Kiss
(1999)
Producer
Running Out of Time
(1999)
Producer
Needing You...
(2000)
Producer
Spacked Out
(2000)
Producer
Comeuppance
(2000)
Producer
Help!!!
(2000)
Producer
Running Out of Time 2
(2001)
Producer
Wu Yen
(2001)
Producer
Gimme Gimme
(2001)
Producer
Fulltime Killer
(2001)
Producer
Love on a Diet
(2001)
Producer
Second Time Around
(2002)
Producer
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts
(2002)
Producer
Fat Choi Spirit
(2002)
Producer
Running on Karma
(2003)
Producer
Love for All Seasons
(2003)
Producer
PTU
(2003)
Producer
Memory of the Youth
(2003)
Producer
Turn Left, Turn Right
(2003)
Producer
Looking for Mr. Perfect
(2003)
Producer
Throw Down
(2004)
Producer
Breaking News
(2004)
Producer
Yesterday Once More
(2004)
Producer
Election
(2005)
Producer
Election 2
(2006)
Producer
2 Become 1
(2006)
Producer
Eye in the Sky
(2007)
Producer
Triangle
(2007)
Executive Producer and Producer
Mad Detective
(2007)
Producer
Hooked on You
(2007)
Producer
Tactical Unit - No Way Out
(2008)
Producer
Tactical Unit - Human Nature
(2008)
Producer
Linger
(2008)
Producer
Tactical Unit - The Code
(2008)
Producer
Sparrow
(2008)
Producer
Vengeance
(2009)
Producer
Tactical Unit: Comrades in Arms
(2009)
Producer
Accident
(2009)
Producer
Tactical Unit - Partners
(2009)
Producer
Punished
(2011)
Producer
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
(2011)
Producer
Life Without Principle
(2011)
Producer
Motorway
(2012)
Producer
Drug War
(2012)
Producer
Blind Detective
(2013)
Producer
A Complicated Story
(2013)
Executive Producer
Don't Go Breaking My Heart 2
(2014)
Producer
Office
(2015)
Producer
Trivisa
(2016)
Producer
Three
(2016)
Producer
Chasing Dream
(2019)
Producer
Septet: The Story of Hong Kong
(2022)
Producer
Mad Fate
(2023)
Producer and Executive Producer
Writing