Biographies: Yimou Zhang - Director

Biographies

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Yimou Zhang, born on 14 November 1951 in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, is a Chinese film director, producer, writer, actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted among the most famous of the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers who brought the increased popularity of Chinese cinema worldwide. He graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982 and worked as a cinematographer, followed by a lead actor role in the film The Old Well (1985), which won him a Best Actor award at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Zhang made his directorial debut in the 1987 film Red Sorghum, winning him a Golden Bear for Best Picture at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival in 1988. He also directed The Story of Qiu Ju (1992) and won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival. His next epic film To Live won him the Grand Jury Prize at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. Yimou Zhang was chosen to direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, alongside co-director and choreographer Zhang Jigang in which he captured the theme of harmony and peace which he had explored and perfected in most of his films.

• 18 November 2016
• Hazem El-Nashar