Alan Mak Siu Fai was born in Hong Kong in 1965 and began his journey in the film industry by studying at the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performance Arts in 1986. He graduated in 1990 and started his movie career shortly after.
Mak made his directorial debut in 1997 with his first film, Nude Fear, which was written and produced by Joe Ma. This marked the beginning of his successful career as a director, and he went on to direct several films including Rave Fever (1999),A War Named Desire (2000),Final Romance (2001),and Stolen Love (2001),which was his first collaboration with writer Felix Chong.
In 2002, Mak and Chong wrote their first script together, Infernal Affairs, which was produced by Mak's directing partner Wai Keung Lau, who also served as cinematographer. The film was a huge success, breaking several box office records and winning numerous awards, including Best Picture, Best Directors, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor.
The film starred some of the top actors of the year, including Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Eric Tsang, and Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, along with the top actresses Kelly Chen and Sammi Cheng. Infernal Affairs was not only a commercial success but also received critical acclaim, winning awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Golden Horse Awards, and the Golden Bauhinia Awards.
In 2003, Lau and Mak completed the trilogy with the prequel Infernal Affairs II and the sequel/prequel Infernal Affairs III. The same year, Mak received the '2003 Leader of the Year' award in the Sports/Culture/Entertainment category, recognizing his outstanding contribution to the film industry.
In 2004, Lau and Mak worked on another blockbuster, Initial D, which was shot in Japan and released in Hong Kong during the summer. The film was a huge success, winning multiple awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best New Performer, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Visual Effects.
In 2006, Lau, Mak, and scriptwriter Felix Chong re-teamed to make the film Moonlight in Tokyo, and again for the film Confessions of Pain, re-teaming with Infernal Affairs star Tony Leung Chiu-wai.
Today, Alan Mak continues to be a prolific director, working with his partners Wai Keung Lau and Felix Chong to make films that challenge and appeal to a mass audience.
