Peng Xiaolian (彭小莲) was a pioneering Chinese filmmaker, screenwriter, and writer whose life and work traced the emotional and political contours of modern China. Born in Chaling County, Hunan Province, and educated at the prestigious Beijing Film Academy, she emerged as one of the most respected voices of China’s Fifth Generation of directors. Her deeply personal storytelling wove together intimate experience with the legacies of political upheaval, creating a bridge between memory and history.

Across a distinguished career spanning over three decades, she received major accolades—including the Golden Rooster Award for Best Director for Beautiful Shanghai (美丽上海, 2003), and the Huabiao Award for Best Feature Film for Shanghai Chronicle (上海纪事, 1998). Her filmography also includes beloved works such as My Classmates and I (我和我的同学们, 1986), Pretend Not to Feel (假装没感觉, 2002), Shanghai Rumba (上海伦巴, 2005), and My Strong Little Boat (我坚强的小船, 2008).

Peng was not only an acclaimed filmmaker, but also a vigilant chronicler of China’s cultural and intellectual history. Her documentary Red Sun Storm (红日风暴) courageously investigated the Hu Feng Movement, an often-silenced purge of writers and thinkers in the 1950s. With profound integrity and clarity, she preserved voices at risk of being forgotten.

A breast cancer survivor from 2007, Peng faced a recurrence in 2013, but continued her creative work until her passing in June 2019 at age 66. Her last book was published posthumously—her final act of storytelling in a life defined by truth, tenderness, and tenacity.