Film directors from East Asia frequently win top prizes at international film festivals and are proving strong influences on Western filmmakers - yet few books have been published about them. The first truly ideal reference work on all the major directors, including a free DVD, details of all their films and checklists for the major films from each country. China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and North and South Korea have all been through periods of major political turmoil and these films reflect the changes and conflicts between modern lifestyles and traditional values.