In an era when fellow Hong Kong action auteurs such as John Woo and Tsui Hark were answering Hollywood's siren call, Johnnie To almost single-handedly saved Hong Kong's film industry, directing and producing flicks that not only defined but also expanded the action genre.

Born April 22, 1955, in Hong Kong, To served as an assistant TV director before helming his first feature film, the 1980 martial arts fantasy The Enigmatic Case. Audiences quickly became addicted to the blend of masculinity and male bonding he offered in movies such as The Big Heat (1988) and All About Ah-Long (starring Yun-Fat Chow).

After forming his own production company in the '90s, To returned to directing with a series of films focusing on characters and action, including The Mission (1999), Fulltime Killer (2001) and 2005's Election (which was nominated for a Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival).