Yimou Zhang Biography (1950-)

Born in 1950, in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; father, an army officer; mother,a dermatologist; married Hua Xie, 1982 (divorced); children: Zhang Mo (daughter). Career: Director, cinematographer, actor, writer, and producer. Worked as a custodian at a textile factory, Xianyang, China, between 1966 and1976. Awards, Honors: China's Golden Rooster Award, best cinematography, c. 1984, for Huang Tu Di; Best Actor Award, Tokyo InternationalFilm Festival, and Golden Rooster Award, best actor, both 1986, for Lao Jing; Golden Rooster Awards, c. 1987, for Hong Gao Liang; Academy Award nomination, best foreign-language film, and Luis Bunuel Award, Cannes Film Festival, both c. 1990, for Ju Dou; Silver Lion Award, Venice FilmFestival, 1991, shared (with Fu-Sheng Chiu) Academy Award nomination, best foreign-language film, 1992, Independent Spirit Award nomination, best foreignfilm, and British Academy Award, best film not in the English language, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, both 1993, all for Da Hong Deng Long Gao Gao Gua; Golden Lion Award, Venice Film Festival, 1992, and Independent Spirit Award nomination, best foreign film, 1994, both for Qiu Ju DaGuan Si; shared (with Chiu) Grand Prize of the Jury, Cannes Film Festival, 1994, and British Academy Award, best film not in the English language, 1995, both for Huozhe; Golden Palm Award nomination, Cannes Film Festival, 1995, for Yao a Yao Yao Dao Waipo Qiao; Golden Palm Award nomination, Grand Jury Prize nomination, Los Angeles International Film Festival, andGolden Lion Award nomination, all 1997, for You Hua Hao Hao Shuo; Golden Lion Award nomination, 1999, for Not One Less. Addresses: Contact: Norman Wang, 279 Mott St., Suite 5F, New York, NY 10012; and China Film Import and Export Office, 2500 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1028, Los Angeles, CA90057-4313.

Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, cinematographer, actor, writer, producer
Birth Details: 1950; Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Work
Director, Unless Otherwise Noted
Cinematographer, Yi Ge He Be Ge(also known as One and Eight), 1983
Cinematographer, Hong Xiang,1983
Cinematographer, Huang Tu Di(also known as Yellow Earth), 1984
Cinematographer, Da Yue Bing(also known as The Big Parade),1986
Cinematographer, Lao Jing(also known as Old Well), 1986
Hong Gao Liang(also known as Red Sorghum), 1987
Daihao Meizhoubao(also known as Codename Cougar, Operation Cougar, and The Puma Action), 1989
Coproducer, Qin Yong(also known as A Terracotta Warrior, Gu Jin Da Zhan, and Qin Yon Qing), 1989
Moans in the Dark,1989
Ju Dou, Miramax, 1990
(With Fu-Sheng Chiu) Da Hong Deng Long Gao Gao Gua(also known as Raise the Red Lantern), Orion Classics, 1991
Qiu Ju Da Guan Si(also known as Qiu Ju Goes to Court and The Story of Qiu Ju), Sony Pictures Classics, 1992
Supervising director, Hua Hun(also known as Pan Yu Liang, a Woman Painter, Soul of a Painter, and La Peintre), 1993

Associate producer, Mary from Beijing,1993
(With Chiu) Huozhe(also known as Lifetimes, Living, To Live, and Woot Jeuk), Samuel Goldwyn, 1994
Executive producer, The Great Conqueror's Concubine,1994
Codirector, Lumiere et Compagnie(also known as Lumiere and Company and Lumiere y Compania), 1995
Yao a Yao Yao Dao Waipo Qiao(also known as Shanghai Triad),Sony Pictures Classics, 1995
You Hua Hao Hao Shuo(also known as Keep Cool), 1997
Executive producer, Lung Sing Jing Yuet(also known as Dragon Town Story), 1997
Not One Less,1999
Film Appearances
Shun, Wangquan, Lao Jing(also known as Old Well), 1986
Hong Gao Liang(also known as Red Sorghum), 1987
Tian Fong, Qin Yong(also known as A Terracotta Warrior, Gu Jin Da Zhan, and Qin Yon Qing), 1989
Junk peddler, You Hua Hao Hao Shuo(also known as Keep Cool), 1997
Television Appearances
Specials
The Making of "Turandot at the Forbidden City," PBS, 1999
Television Work
Specials
Stage director, Turandot at the Forbidden City, PBS, 1999
WRITINGS
Films
Composer of songs "Jiushen Qu" and "Meimei Ni Dadan Wangqian Zou," Hong Gao Liang(also known as Red Sorghum), 1987
Hua Hun(also known as Pan Yu Liang, a Woman Painter, Soul of a Painter, and La Peintre), 1993

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

Economist, February 11, 1989, p. 84.
Economist, November 12, 1994, U.S. edition, p. 115.
Film Comment, September 12, 1995, p. 10.
Newsweek, October 9, 1995, p. 74.
New York Times, March 1, 1992.*

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