
Person
Zhang Yimou
Directing · Born 1950-04-02 · Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
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.
Known for

Golden Horse Awards
Self

The Grand Mansion Gate
李莲英

Hero
Director

Celebrity Talk Show
张艺谋

The Great Wall
Director

Thirteen Talks
2016

CMG Spring Festival Gala
1983

The 40th Anniversary of Chinese Film Since China's Reform and Opening-Up
Self

The Lead
Executive Producer

To Live
Director
Filmography
- 2026The LeadExecutive Producer
- 2026Scare OutDirector
- 2024The First ShotProducer
- 2024Article 20Writer
- 2023Under the LightDirector
- 2023Beijing 2022Executive Producer
- 2023Full River RedDirector
- 2022Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics Opening CeremonyDirector
- 2022Beijing 2022 Olympics Closing CeremonyDirector
- 2022Behind the Opening Ceremony: The Director's CutSelf
- 2022Beijing 2022 Olympic Opening CeremonyDirector
- 2022SnipersDirector
- 2021My Country, My ParentsTV Station Director (segment "Duck Prophet")
- 2021极:《悬崖之上》电影纪录片
- 2021Cliff WalkersDirector
- 2020One SecondDirector
- 2020A Documentary About The Movie One SecondHimself
- 2020My People, My HomelandProducer
- 2018The 40th Anniversary of Chinese Film Since China's Reform and Opening-UpSelf
- 2018Zhang Yimou's "Shadow"Self
- 2018ShadowDirector
- 2018Bergman: A Year in a LifeSelf
- 2017Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-QiangSelf
- 2016The Great WallDirector
- 2016Suddenly SeventeenProducer
- 2016最忆是杭州Director
- 2016Thirteen Talks
- 2015Lady of the DynastyCo-Director
- 2014Stories Through 180 LensesDirector
- 2014Coming HomeDirector
- 2013Trespassing BergmanSelf
- 2011The Flowers of WarDirector
- 2011Making of "The Flowers of War"
- 2010Under the Hawthorn TreeDirector
- 2009A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle ShopDirector
- 200960th Anniversary Of Founding Of The People's Republic Of ChinaDirector
- 2009Zhang Yimou's 2008
- 2009奥运档案Self
- 2008激荡·1978-2008
- 2008Beijing 2008 Olympic Closing CeremonyDirector
- 2008Beijing 2008 Olympic Opening CeremonyDirector
- 2007To Each His Own CinemaDirector
- 2007Secrets Within: Inside Look at 'Curse of the Golden Flower'Self
- 2006Curse of the Golden FlowerDirector
- 2005Riding Alone for Thousands of MilesDirector
- 2005图兰朵:法兰西体育场Director
- 2004Making of House of Flying DaggersSelf
- 2004'Hero' Defined: A Look at the Epic MasterpieceSelf
- 2004House of Flying DaggersDirector
- 2004Beauty and Pureness
- 2002HeroDirector
- 2002Cause: The Birth of HeroHimself
- 2001The Grand Mansion Gate李莲英
- 2000Happy TimesDirector
- 1999Not One LessDirector
- 1999The Road HomeDirector
- 1999Puccini: Turandot at the Forbidden City of BeijingDirector
- 1999知识改变命运
- 1997Dragon Town StoryProducer
- 1997Keep CoolJunk Peddler
- 1995Lumière & CompanySelf
- 1995Shanghai TriadDirector
- 1994Big Fish in ChinaSelf
- 1994The Great Conqueror's Concubine: Part IProducer
- 1994To LiveDirector
- 1992The Story of Qiu JuDirector
- 1991Raise the Red LanternDirector
- 1990Ju DouDirector
- 1989A Terra-Cotta WarriorGeneral Meng Tianfang
- 1989Codename CougarDirector
- 1989New Chinese Cinema
- 1989Celebrity Talk Show张艺谋
- 1988Red Sorghum
- 1986The Big ParadeMilitary Official
- 1986Old Well孙旺泉
- 1984Forced Take-offCinematography
- 1984Yellow EarthDirector of Photography
- 1983CMG Spring Festival Gala
- 1983One And EightDirector of Photography
- 1982The Red ElephantDirector of Photography
- 1962Golden Horse AwardsSelf
- —Cliff Walkers 2Director
- —The Three-Body ProblemDirector
- —Sunshine ThiefExecutive Producer
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