Biography
Herman Yau Lai-To (Chinese: 邱禮濤), born 1961 in Hong Kong is a film director, actor, cinematographer, scriptwriter and film producer. A Chiuchow by origin, Yau studied film at The Department of Communications, Hong Kong Baptist College from 1981 to 1984 where he spent much of his early days hanging out with music lovers and making independent films. Upon leaving school, Yau devoted most of his time working in the film industry, and writing for a number of magazine and newspapers as a columnist ...
Known For
Complete Filmography

A Gilded Game
2025
Writer, Director
A gifted but underprivileged finance student, Gao Han, lands a rare internship at a top international investment bank, Bluestone, while helping his fr...

Customs Frontline
2024
Director
Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department officers Chow Ching-lai and Cheung Wan-nam share a close mentor-student relationship. On a case involving seiz...

Crisis Negotiators
2024
Director, Writer
Negotiator expert Cheuk Man Wai unexpectedly becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Forced into a corner, he occupies the police station, taking ...

Moscow Mission
2023
Director
Tough Chinese detectives go on a mission to Moscow to hunt down ruthless robbers who have been plaguing the trans-Siberian railway with violence and c...

Raid On The Lethal Zone
2023
Director
In the 1990s, an armed police team in the south-western border of China encounter floods and drug traffickers while on a mission, resulting in heavy c...

Death Notice
2023
Director
In Hong Kong, a vigilante serial killer leaves death notices, stating when and how he will murder a victim. Even if the victim reports it to the polic...

The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell
2023
Director, Writer
An undercover cop who invade a drug cartel led by a notorious Thai drug lord. In classic heroic bloodshed fashion, the two develop a bond of brotherho...

Just 1 Day
2022
Producer
Mosaic, an urban sketch artist suffering from motor neurone disease, meets an old school friend, Angelfish, at a class reunion. As his illness takes a...

The Dishwasher Squad
2021
Producer
Chan Shi Kyun (cast by Richie Jen) and Yu Chi Lun (cast by Ekin Cheng) have been long time good friends. They recklessly bought a dishwashing factory...

77 Heartwarmings
2021
Director
Eva, who returned to singleness, met and liked each other by chance with Thai Red Star Marvel, while Adam still hoped to exchange Eva's 78th forgivene...

Shock Wave 2
2020
Director, Writer
After suffering life changing injuries in the line of duty, bomb disposal officer Fung turns his back on the police. But when a devastating series of ...

Apart
2020
Producer

The White Storm 2: Drug Lords
2019
Director, Writer
A financial tycoon, once a triad member, tries to eradicate the drug market while an old accomplice aims to be Hong Kong's first drug lord.

The New King of Comedy
2019
Co-Director
A young female actor dreams of becoming famous and building a successful career despite being a stand-in and extra on most sets.

A Home with a View
2019
Director
The Lo family live in an old flat in the middle of a noisy neighborhood: father, mother, unemployed son, teenage daughter and his elderly, disabled f...

G Affairs
2018
Executive Producer
When a human head is discovered, the paths of a female student, a cellist, an autistic teenager, a police officer, a prostitute, a teacher and a dog a...

The Leakers
2018
Director
The film centers around a Malaysian pharmaceutical company using a new virus to generate an epidemic. A secret organization, known as "The Leaker", di...

Always Be with You
2017
Screenplay, Director
Taxi driver David, who's doomed after a terminal cancer diagnosis, accidentally kills hotel owner Patrick in a car crash. Patrick's girlfriend takes o...

From Where We've Fallen
2017
Executive Producer
It's past midnight. Zhao goes down to smoke, leaving his drunken wife to murmur her erotic dream upstairs. Neighbour Lee jumps off the building in fr...

Shock Wave
2017
Writer, Director, Producer
When a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met.

The Sleep Curse
2017
Director
In 1990, Neurologist Lam Sik Ka and his former flame suffer from the generational sleep curse that rooted in their both families war engagement during...

77 Heartbreaks
2017
Director
When Eva ends her ten-year relationship with Adam, he’s shocked by the sudden break-up, not until he read her private journal did he realize that she ...

Nessun Dorma
2016
Director
The beautiful yet naive Jasmine has second thoughts about her arranged marriage with the most eligible bachelor in town because she is secretly in lov...

The Mobfathers
2016
Director
The godfather of the triad Jing Hing and his senior bosses need to select a new boss to run the daily operations of the five gangs under their control...

Sara
2015
Director
Journalist Sara has just spent four months completing an in-depth investigation piece. Her editor-in-chief, afraid of offending powerful politicians a...

An Inspector Calls
2015
Director
An unexpected inspector drops by a lavish party of a notable family in order to investigate the suicide of a pregnant girl. This breaks the joy and pe...

Kung Fu Angels
2014
Director
An unruly and spoiled girl Nancy is sent to the Physical Education College, which cultivates students into sports elites with strict regulations. Alth...

The Second Coming
2014
Director
All the CHEN family want is a quiet life but as daughter Lucy's behavior changes from strange to violent, they are forced to confront dark secrets the...

Ip Man: The Final Fight
2013
Director
Ip Man reluctantly begins a series of challenges from rival kung fu schools and is soon drawn into the dark and dangerous world of the Triads.

Nightmare
2012
Director, Screenplay
Hao Dong suffers from insomnia. One night he sees his neighbour across the street getting murdered. But when he arrives at the scene to investigate, t...

Love Actually... Sucks!
2012
as Director in Party
It tells a variety of stories about love that has gone wrong: a brother and sister in an illicit relationship, a married painter who falls in love wit...

Love Actually... Sucks!
2012
Cinematography
It tells a variety of stories about love that has gone wrong: a brother and sister in an illicit relationship, a married painter who falls in love wit...

Love Lifting
2012
Director, Writer
The story of a love affair between a female weight lifter and a former bar owner.

Turning Point 2
2011
Director
Laughing is judged guilty of murdering gang lord Michael So and is sentenced to life imprisonment. Locked up behind bars, he meets the seemingly benig...

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake
2011
Director
When the women of her time had their feet bound to please men, Qiu Jin was already questioning the sexual inequality of feudal traditions. Free-spirit...

Vampire Warriors
2010
Director of Photography
Ar spends her days walking around hunting down bad vampires, while Max and her good vampire friends hang around town aimlessly, complaining about how ...

The Legend Is Born: Ip Man
2010
Director
The remarkable true story of the early life of Ip Man, the formidable kung fu genius who would become Bruce Lee's mentor; beginning at the start of hi...

All's Well End's Well Too 2010
2010
Director
Princess Pearl of Flowerland is sent to Midland at a young age to learn her ceremonials duties. Her mother, the Queen Mother misses her daughter very ...

Bad Blood
2010
Director of Photography
When the boss of a ruling Hong Kong triad is arrested and executed in China for counterfeiting money, mayhem ensues as the mob's leading contenders ci...

Quattro Hong Kong
2010
Director
Four short films by four Hong Kong directors.

Rebellion
2009
Screenplay, Director
After a top gangster is murdered, his second-in-command must prevent an uprising by rival gangs.

Split Second Murders
2009
Director
Unemployed comic book artist Luk (6 Wing) is not having a good day. His girlfriend (Charmaine Fong) just left him, and he's off to pitch his latest wo...

Turning Point
2009
Director
Laughing is formally a police undercover. However due to a drug trafficking case, Inspector Pan is hot on his trails. Before Laughing becomes a police...

The First 7th Night
2009
Writer, Director
A helpless Taxi driver, a mysterious delivery boy, a 30 years abandoned motel, a touching past, all come together to form a strange tale. One day, a s...

A Very Short Life
2009
Director of Photography
"A woman is born to give her body to men; her father or strangers should make no difference." Respectable Police Commissioner Josephine reinvestigate...

Permanent Residence
2009
Cinematography
The life story of a young man who has been pursuing an impossible love with his straight boyfriend and contemplating on the mortality of his loved one...

True Women for Sale
2008
Director
The story revolves around two women in the grassroots of Hong Kong society, struggling to survive and haunted by demons in their respective pasts. The...

Chaos
2008
Director
In one of the darkest and diverse cultural part in the city, there is a minority group who lives in the place where it is full of despair and frustrat...

Triad Wars
2008
Director of Photography
In the midst of a violent gang war, a series of misfortunes threaten the fate of a gang boss and his mob.

Whispers and Moans
2007
Director
Inspired by interviews with real-life prostitutes, Herman Yau's sexy but socially conscious film revolves around a social worker seeking to unionize s...

Gong Tau
2007
Director, Writer
CID detective Rockman was sent to Thailand to investigate a case involving the Hong Kong and Thai underground syndicate. During his visit he met a sex...

Dancing Lion
2007
Cinematography
Two work colleagues decide to learn the ancient art of Lion Dancing when they enter an office talent competition in this comedy feature.

A Mob Story
2007
Director
From singer to TV actor, and then film actor (Heavenly Mission, Wo Hu) Julian Cheung Chi Lam now stars as a merciless assassin nicknamed Seven. Commis...

Fatal Contact
2006
Director of Photography
A young man learns the fighting techniques of Sanda from a coach. The two become best friends as the young man prepares to enter an underground tourna...

On the Edge
2006
Director, Writer
After working as an undercover in a triad for 8 years, Sheng finally arrests the triad leader and resumes his duties as a police officer. However, lif...

Love @ First Note
2006
Director of Photography
Singer-songwriter Kei is in love with his best friend Kristy, but she beings to date rich kid Tony.

Lethal Ninja
2006
Writer, Director
A scientist discovers a chemical that can be used to make a great cure or a great virus, and a criminal sends ninjas to steal it and kill him. When th...

Cocktail
2006
Director
The melancholy Candy runs the Half Mortal, a trendy bar in Hong Kong. She hires Paul; Stella, a part-time employee who's a college student in psycholo...

Seven Swords
2005
Cinematography
In the 17th century, seven swordsmen join their forces to save the villagers from a manipulating General who bans martial arts.

The Unusual Youth
2005
Director of Photography
Following the lives of five teenagers as they try to go through life while trying to avoid their own family backgrounds.

The Ghost Inside
2005
Director
A young mother and runs from her abusive husband with her daughter only to discover that their new apartment may be haunted by the spirit of a woman w...

Himalaya Singh
2005
Director of Operations, Second Unit Director
Ronald has lived in the Himalayas since he was young and has grown up to become a clean-living yoga master who will soon marry an Indian beauty. But t...

Seventeen Years Buried
2005
Director, Screenplay
A ghost appeared in a night visit to a mass grave in the dense forest, uncovering the serial murder case on the campus that has been sealed for 17 yea...

Astonishing
2004
Director, Writer
Mandy's life turns upside down after getting into a car accident.

Dating Death
2004
Director
An invitation for a reunion between seven friends on a remote island cottage turns deadly, when they begin dying one-by-one. As the remaining survivor...

Papa Loves You
2004
Director, Producer, Writer
Ying is a single parent who's having a tough time disciplining his wild teenage daughter Ellen.

Herbal Tea
2004
Director, Screenplay
Down on his luck actor Dan rents a flat from Mei-Chu. Feeling sorry for him, Mei-Chu helps Dan to turn things around, improving his life and helping h...

Xanda
2004
Director of Photography
Rural kung fu whiz Qiang travels to the big city to visit his friend Lung, who's taken up Xanda, a new martial art that fuses multiple styles. When Lu...

Happy Go Lucky
2003
Director of Photography
Happy Go Lucky is a Hong Kong Comedy-Drama starring Kent Cheng.

Vampire Hunters
2003
Director of Photography
In 17th century China, zombies and vampires roamed the lands, feeding on the unsuspecting. A group of martial artists / vampire hunters find themselve...

Give Them a Chance
2003
Director, Writer
Back in 2001, action director Sam Wong Ming-Sing shepherded a young group of lower-class dancers into the semi-big leagues. Thanks to great effort and...

Shark Busters
2002
Director
TC Lee, a senior policeman whose mounting debts are making headlines in the local press. Lee's not the only person in trouble at his police station, w...

The Wall
2002
as Cho's gangster boss
A modern HK Cinema throwback to eighties triad dramas. Jordan Chan is Cho, a recently released ex-con who was imprisoned when he took the heat for a k...

Happy Family
2002
as Applicant for Director Job
A deep pool of family secrets overruns its banks as two young lovers decide to tie the knot. But, sorting truth from deception leaves everyone gasping...

Happy Family
2002
Director, Screenplay
A deep pool of family secrets overruns its banks as two young lovers decide to tie the knot. But, sorting truth from deception leaves everyone gasping...

Killing End
2001
Director, Writer
A police officer and his partner get persecuted by the local triad due to the unpaid loans of the latter. After an incident involving all of them, thi...

Nightmares in Precinct 7
2001
Director, Writer
After a failed operation that leaves several cops dead or wounded Officer Fong Jing wakes up at the hospital and discovers that he can see ghosts.

Zu Warriors
2001
Director of Photography
King Sky, the sole disciple of the Kun Lun Sect, falls in love with his master Dawn. Dawn is killed when Insomnia destroys the Kin Lun Mountain. King ...

From the Queen to the Chief Executive
2001
In 1985, Cheung Yau-ming was one of five miscreants involved in the brutal murder of a white couple. As he was still a juvenile, the court ordered tha...

From the Queen to the Chief Executive
2001
Director
In 1985, Cheung Yau-ming was one of five miscreants involved in the brutal murder of a white couple. As he was still a juvenile, the court ordered tha...

Master Q 2001
2001
Director, Screenplay
"Master Q" is a popular comic book series character in Hong Kong. Each comic book is usually made up of many different situational stories, with 8 frm...

Time and Tide
2000
Director of Photography
A streetwise young man becomes a bodyguard to score quick cash. He befriends a disillusioned mercenary determined to begin life anew. They find themse...

Crying Heart
1999
Mrs. Fat is slowly succumbing to cancer, but her biggest worry is her only child, the 30-year-old Bee. Possessing the mind of a toddler but the hormon...

Crying Heart
1999
Director of Photography
Mrs. Fat is slowly succumbing to cancer, but her biggest worry is her only child, the 30-year-old Bee. Possessing the mind of a toddler but the hormon...

The Masked Prosecutor
1999
Director
Two cops, one young and tough, the other nearing retirement, are after a ruthless vigilante who kidnaps and tortures acquitted criminals.

The Untold Story 3
1999
Director
Inspector Lee and his team look into the mysterious disappearance of a seedy loan shark but find no real leads. Amazingly, the culprits fall into thei...

Troublesome Night 6
1999
as Camera man
Four reporters from a tabloid magazine stalks a model for their gossip column. The model, having breaking up with her rich boyfriend, later commits su...

Troublesome Night 6
1999
Director
Four reporters from a tabloid magazine stalks a model for their gossip column. The model, having breaking up with her rich boyfriend, later commits su...

Fascination Amour
1999
Director
Lau is a spoiled playboy who’s on fiancée number 8 - and makes sport of getting rid of them. With his entourage (including an amusing Anthony Wong) in...

Troublesome Night 5
1999
Director
The fifth chapter of the "Troublesome Night" series, this movie is an anthology of three connected stories. Taxi Driver Cheung runs into bad luck when...

9413
1998
Cinematography, Producer
Smash Head, an emotionally bankrupt cop who began his downward spiral when he accidentally killed a hostage during a shootout.

Troublesome Night 4
1998
as John
A group of tourists from Hong Kong visit the Philippines on holiday and run into ghosts.

Troublesome Night 4
1998
Director
A group of tourists from Hong Kong visit the Philippines on holiday and run into ghosts.

Troublesome Night 3
1998
Director
Three supernatural incidents happen to the workers at a mortuary.

Troublesome Night 2
1997
Director
The second chapter of the "Troublesome Night" series, this movie consists of three stories. The first story is about a girl that called a radio show f...

97 Aces Go Places
1997
Cinematography
Eternal 25 year-old Alan Tam is a wimpy triad boss who must avenge his dad because he had a heart attack after losing at cards to a pretty cat burglar...

Troublesome Night
1997
Director
Tales of the supernatural include encounters with ghosts and a man's communication with his dead wife.

Walk In
1997
Director
The "walk in" of the title refers to one person allowing another's soul to take possession of his body at the time of death.

Mr. Mumble
1996
as Guy in red car [cameo]
An action comedy about a sharp shooter from the S.W.A.T team (SDU) in Hong Kong who gets fired for failing to show up in time for a hostage mission be...

Best of the Best
1996
as Yuen Nam Sam
Tung Tung just graduated from the police academy, encountering a Vietnamnese assassin on his first day on work. Tung in order to break through obstacl...

War of the Underworld
1996
When the son of a gang leader manages to insult the son of a rival gang leader, total war erupts between the rival gangs, and the young hero is forced...

War of the Underworld
1996
Director
When the son of a gang leader manages to insult the son of a rival gang leader, total war erupts between the rival gangs, and the young hero is forced...

Adventurous Treasure Island
1996
Director
Kids are sucked into their TV and have to fight pirates to return home

Ebola Syndrome
1996
Director
A violent fugitive on the run from the law makes his way from Hong Kong to South Africa, where he discovers that he's immune to the Ebola virus, and l...

All of a Sudden
1996
Director
An erotic mystery about widower seeks revenge to the man whose wife had an affair before her apparent suicide, however things soon turns complicated w...

City Cop
1995
Director
Two Cops, one young and hotheaded, the other aging and by-the-book, are teamed up to break a case involving a series of Jewel heists by a ruthless you...

Red Zone
1995
Director of Photography
Red Zone is a Hong Kong Action movie produced by Jackie Chan

Highway Man
1995
Director of Photography
Easygoing Cheung (Julian Cheung) is a car magazine writer by day, and street racer by night. Uptight Lion King (Michael Lam), who enjoys scalding hot ...

New Tenant
1995
Alan Tam is a writer who has spent the last decade in a mental hospital. Upon leaving, he rents an apartment in an abandoned building which contains a...

No Justice for All
1995
Director
A disaffected defense lawyer joins the prosecution, and ends up pressing charges on three police detectives charged with dropping a suspect from a fou...

Rock China the Power of Music Live in Hong Kong
1994
Editor, Director
A significant live recording in the history of Chinese rock, a night of unprecedented madness in Hong Kong's concert history. The musical force from B...

Cop Image
1994
Anthony Wong plays a traffic cop who is obsessed with action films. He wants to be a real life hero and gets his chance when he becomes involved in a ...

Cop Image
1994
Director
Anthony Wong plays a traffic cop who is obsessed with action films. He wants to be a real life hero and gets his chance when he becomes involved in a ...

Fearless Match
1994
Director
Rookie PTU officers Fan and Fat manages to find themselves in a shootout with fugitives but ends up in a favorable light afterwards, earning promotion...

Twenty Something
1994
Director of Photography
Young friends (Jordan Chan, Moses Chan, Farini Cheung) look for happiness but find only fleeting pleasure in barhopping and one-night stands.

Don't Shoot Me, I'm Just a Violinist
1994
Director
While in visiting Hong Kong to perform in a concert, a violinist from Mainland China got himself mixed up in a jewel heist and became a prime target o...

C'est La Vie Mon Cheri
1993
as Among Kit's musician friends
Unable to make it as a commercial success because he staunchly refuses to sell out, a struggling Hong Kong musician rediscovers his love of music and ...

Taxi Hunter
1993
Director, Writer
Kin is a hard-working insurance salesman with a very pregnant wife. When his wife starts haemorrhaging, he calls a taxi, but it leaves when someone el...

Man of the Times
1993
Cinematography
A look at the life and times of Chan Chi Chiu--an ambitious cop's journey to become the highest ranking officer in Hong Kong.

The Untold Story
1993
Director
Macau cops begin to suspect a man running a pork buns restaurant of murder, after tracing the origin of a case full of chopped up human remains that w...

No More Love No More Death
1993
Director
The prequel to Taylor Wong's With or Without You finds Prince being raised as a trained assassin by his "father." Meanwhile, he falls in love with Twe...

Cageman
1992
as TV crew member
The story about a young, unemployed man, who after being kicked out is desperate enough to live anywhere. He is directed to Fatso, who owns the caged ...

Deadly Dream Woman
1992
Executive Producer
Nightingale Wong is a super heroine who looses her memory when her triad boss father is murdered. She is taken in by a kindly prostitute, and eventual...

Best of the Best
1992
Director, Writer
The son of a crooked cop follows in his father's footsteps. He joins an elite group of cops known as the "Flying Tigers" and there learns the true mea...

With or Without You
1992
Director of Photography
A cop falls in love with a karaoke singer, while her violent, and psychotic gangster-boyfriend, known as Prince, is away on business.

Freedom Run Q
1992
Cinematography
Freedom Run Q is a Hong Kong Action-Comedy starring Bill Tung

The Magic Touch
1992
Director of Photography
Hui Wai Tak tells people's fortunes by feeling their bones. In reality though, he is a scam artist who gathers information on his clients in advance a...

My Flying Wife
1991
Director of Photography
A woman who is in debt to loan sharks is about to commit suicide to escape her debts. Two ghosts are waiting to take her soul when she dies, but at th...

Fantasy Romance
1991
Cinematography
Fans of Hong Kong pinup queen Joey Wang are likely to appreciate this ghost-themed seriocomic fantasy about a comic book artist named Shing (Tony Leun...

Don't Fool Me
1991
Director
A gangster and a broker change jobs.

Stars & Roses
1989
Director of Photography
Hong Kong photo-journalist Lau and Vietnamese translator Yuen Hung become friends when Lau is arrested for a traffic accident. Yuen wants Lau to find ...

Sentenced to Hang
1989
Director of Photography
After being fired by his penny-pinching boss, Wai and his two life-long friends decide to kidnap and ransom his son. The situation spirals out of cont...

Triads: The Inside Story
1989
Director of Photography
Li Man-Ho comes to Hong Kong after his father's death following a double crossed peace meeting at the hands of a rival gang. The family's business beg...

Law or Justice?
1988
Director of Photography
A model (Joey Wong) gets raped by a photographer (Wilson Lam). Meanwhile, she falls out with her best friend (Carol Cheng) due to her boyfriend (Alex ...

Reunion
1988
Herman Yau turns his eye on the struggles of immigrants from Mainland China in this neorealist drama, which depicts the plight of a woman forced into ...

Reunion
1988
Producer
Herman Yau turns his eye on the struggles of immigrants from Mainland China in this neorealist drama, which depicts the plight of a woman forced into ...

The Truth
1988
Director of Photography
A lawyer is assigned to protect his long-lost mum, who is accused of killing a cop.

No Regret
1987
Director
Ashan and Helen grew up together and were selected as the heroine of a youth film. Helen, the record technician, did not know that he was already Asha...

Tragic Hero
1987
Director of Photography
After being released from prison, Tang Kat-Yung exacts revenge on Lee Ah Chai.
We're Nothing at All
N/A
Director