
Ai Weiwei
- Known for
- Directing
- Born
- August 28, 1957
- Birthplace
- Beijing, China
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist. Ai grew up in the far north-west of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of schools in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Capital International Airport on 3 April, for allegedly economic crimes. He was detained for 81 days without charge. Ai Weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in Chinese cultural development, an architect of Chinese modernism, and one of the nation's most vocal political commentators. Ai Weiwei encapsulates political conviction and his personal poetry in his many sculptures, photographs and public works. In doing this, he makes use of Chinese art forms to display the Chinese political and social issues. After being allowed to leave China in 2015, he has lived in Berlin, Germany, and, since 2019, in Cambridge, UK, with his family, working and traveling internationally.
Filmography
- Ai Weiwei: Sewing a Button
Ai Weiwei: Sewing a Button 2026
as Self, Director
- ALLEN & AI
ALLEN & AI 2026
Actor

Ai Weiwei's Turandot 2025
as Self
- Animality
Animality 2025
Director, Producer, Writer
- 8507days
8507days 2025
Director

The Trainer 2024
as Ai Weiwei
- Free to Create - Artists in Exile
Free to Create - Artists in Exile 2024
as Himself

A Clockwork Orange: The Prophecy 2024
as Self

Rohingya 2022
Director, Producer

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War 2022
Actor

Ithaka 2022
as Self
- Opera di Roma: Turandot
Opera di Roma: Turandot 2022
Director

Cockroach 2020
Director, Producer

CoroNation 2020
Producer, Director

Vivos 2020
Director, Producer, Director of Photography

Vincent van Gogh Superstar 2019
as Self

Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies 2019
Actor

Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly 2019
as Self

The Rest 2019
Actor, Producer, Director

Ximei 2019
Executive Producer

Why Are We Creative? 2018
as Self
- Shouting Out
Shouting Out 2018
Director

Ai Weiwei en Buenos Aires 2018
as Himself

Human Flow 2017
Producer, Director, Director of Photography

The Chinese Lives of Uli Sigg 2017
Actor

Ai Weiwei Drifting 2017
as Self

江天勇律师 2017
Director

Heaven and Earth 2016
Director, Producer

Fukushima Art Project 2015
Director

Straight 2015
Director

Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema 2014
as Self

Ai Weiwei - Evidence 2014
as Himself

The Sand Storm 2014
Actor

You Know What I Mean 2014
Director, Producer

Ai Weiwei's Appeal ¥15,220,910.50 2014
as Self, Producer, Director

Play of the Play 2014
Director

Stay Home 2013
Director, Producer

Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case 2013
Actor

Wenchuan Rebar 2013
Director

Ping'an Yueqing 2013
Producer, Director
- Remembrance
Remembrance 2012
Director

4851 2012
Director

Discard the Old Path of Closed Doors and Rigidity and Reject Evil Attempts to Change the Party's Banner 2012
Director

The Crab House 2012
Director, Producer

The Mala Desert 2012
Producer, Director

KUN 13: Criticizing Ai Weiwei and Wu Haohao 2012
as Himself

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry 2012
as Self - Artist, Thanks
- So Sorry
So Sorry 2012
Director, Producer

Ordos 100 2012
Producer, Director

Beijing: The Third Ring 2012
Producer, Cinematography, Director, Editor

Beijing: The Second Ring 2012
Producer, Editor, Cinematography, Director

Chang'an Boulevard 2012
Editor, Producer, Cinematography, Director

Hormone 2011
Actor
- Who's Afraid of Ai Wei Wei?
Who's Afraid of Ai Wei Wei? 2011
Actor

Flower Good Moon Round 2011
Director

Ai Weiwei: Without Fear or Favour 2010
Actor

Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds 2010
as Himself

Jingmei Wang 2010
Director

Sanhua 2010
Producer, Director

A Beautiful Life 2010
Director

One Recluse 2010
Cinematography, Editor, Producer, Director

Little Girl's Cheeks 2009
Actor, Director, Producer

Disturbing the Peace 2009
as Self, Producer, Director

冯正虎回家 2009
Director

Fairytale 2007
Producer, Editor, Director
- Beijing 2003
Beijing 2003 2004
Producer, Cinematography, Editor, Director

Eat, Drink and Be Merry 2003
as Self, Director, Producer
Credits from TMDB.