Zhang Yimou — biography, films, roles and trivia

Biography

Zhang Yimou (born November 14, 1950 or 1951) is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum. Zhang has won numerous awards and recognitions, with Best Foreign Film nominations for Ju Dou in 1990 and Raise the Red Lantern in 1991, Silver Lion and Golden Lion prizes at the Venice Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

One of Zhang's recurrent themes is the resilience of Chinese people in the face of hardship and adversity, a theme which has been explored in such films as, for example, To Live (1994) and Not One Less (1999). His films are particularly noted for their rich use of colour, as can be seen in some of his early films, like Raise the Red Lantern, and in his wuxia films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers.

Filmography

1

2026 Scare Out Actor · Director

Interesting facts

6

1
During preparations for the Beijing Olympics, Zhang Yimou served as chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, and for this reason temporarily postponed his film work.
2
During preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zhang Yimou served as chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, and for this reason temporarily postponed his film work.
3
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, he was expelled from school and sent to forced labor on an agricultural commune. He later worked at a spinning mill, where he was simultaneously a graphic designer and a photographer.
4
In 1978, he successfully passed the entrance exams for the Beijing Film Academy, and although he was rejected due to his age, after appealing to the Minister of Culture he was nevertheless admitted.
5
During preparations for the 2008 and 2012 Beijing Olympics, Zhang Yimou served as chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, and for this reason temporarily postponed his film work.
6
He is the chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.