Lu Xuechang, one of China's sixth generation Chinese film directors, unexpectedly died Thursday at the age of 49.

Born on June 25, 1964, Lu began his career with his debut "The Making of Steel" in 1997, after undergoing a kidney transplant upon his graduation from Beijing Film Academy. He was considered one of the new generation talented filmmakers such as Zhang Yang, Jia Zhangke, Lou Ye and Wang Xiaoshuai.

Director Wang Xiaoshuai was with him yesterday for a film screening event organized by the Chinese Film Directors' Guild. But Lu felt uncomfortable and actually slipped into a coma on their way home, upon which he was immediately taken to hospital. Unfortunately, Lu did not survive. The hospital has yet to announce the cause of death.

One of Lu's most famous films is "Cala, My Dog!"-- a 2003 Chinese comedy. The film is a rare sample of black humor on the Chinese movie market and saw its world premiere at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival. The film was co-produced by successful film director Feng Xiaogang and starred famous comedy actor Ge You.

Lu only made five films in his lifetime, including "The Making of Steel" (1997), "A Lingering Face" (2000), "Cala, My Dog! " (2003), "Lease Wife" (2006) and "Under One Roof." All his films contained his unique personal style. He won several awards at China's Golden Rooster Awards and Japan's Tokyo International Digital Film Festival.

After he died, the Chinese Film Directors' Guild mourned the loss in a statement, calling Lu "the realist thinker of the Chinese film industry." The Guild said it would host a farewell service in Beijing on Feb. 24, 2014.

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