Zhang Yimou facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Professor Zhang Yimou
张艺谋
Zhang in 2023
Born	张诒谋 (1950-11-14) 14 November 1950 (age 74) Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
Nationality	China
Alma mater	Beijing Film Academy
Occupation	Film director, producer, cinematographer and actor
Known for	One of the representative figures of China's "fifth generation directors"
Notable work	Full River Red House of Flying Daggers Cliff Walkers The Flowers of War
Spouse(s)	Xiao Hua (肖华) ​ (m. 1978⁠–⁠1988)​ Chen Ting (陈婷) ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	Zhang Mo Zhang Yinan Zhang Yiding Zhang Yijiao
Parent(s)	Zhang Bingjun Zhang Xiaoyou
Family	Zhang Weimou Zhang Qimou
Awards	BAFTA Best Film Not in the English Language 1991 Raise the Red Lantern 1994 To Live Golden Bear - Berlin International Film Festival 1988 Red Sorghum Silver Lion - Venice Film Festival 1991 Raise the Red Lantern Golden Lion - Venice Film Festival 1992 The Story of Qiu Ju 1999 Not One Less Grand Jury Prize - Cannes Film Festival 1994 To Live BSFC Award for Best Director 2004 House of Flying Daggers NSFC Award for Best Director 2004 Hero; House of Flying Daggers Golden Rooster Awards – Best Director 1999 Not One Less 2000 The Road Home 2003 Hero Best Actor 1988 Old Well

Zhang Yimou
Zhang's name in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese	张艺谋
Traditional Chinese	張藝謀
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhāng Yìmóu Bopomofo ㄓㄤ ㄧˋ ㄇㄡˊ Wade–Giles Chang1 I4-mou2 IPA [ʈʂáŋ î.mǒu̯] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Jēung Ngaihmàuh IPA [tsœ́ːŋ ŋɐ̀i.mɐ̏u] Jyutping Zoeng1 Ngai6-mau4

Zhang Yimou (simplified Chinese: 张艺谋; traditional Chinese: 張藝謀; pinyin: Zhāng Yìmóu; born November 14, 1950) is a famous Chinese filmmaker. He is a very important director from China, part of a group called the "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers. He started directing movies in 1988 with Red Sorghum, which won a top award called the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Zhang Yimou has won many awards. His films like Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, and Hero were nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. He has also won major awards at the Venice, Cannes, and Berlin Film Festivals. Besides movies, Zhang Yimou directed the amazing opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 and 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. These ceremonies were praised around the world.

A common idea in Zhang's films is how strong and determined Chinese people are, even when facing tough times. You can see this in movies like To Live (1994) and Not One Less (1999). His films are also known for their beautiful and rich use of colors, especially in early films like Raise the Red Lantern and martial arts films like Hero and House of Flying Daggers. He has received honorary doctorates from Yale University and Boston University. In 2022, he became a special professor at the Beijing Film Academy.

Early Life and Education

Zhang Yimou was born in Xi'an, a big city in China. His father, Zhang Bingjun, was a doctor and a former officer. His mother, Zhang Xiaoyou, was also a doctor. Zhang has two younger brothers. Because of his family's background, Zhang faced some challenges when he was young.

During a time called the Cultural Revolution in China (1960s-1970s), Zhang stopped his school studies. He worked as a farm laborer for three years and then at a cotton factory for seven years. During this time, he started painting and taking photos as a hobby. He even sold his own blood to buy his first camera! In 1978, he went to the Beijing Film Academy to study photography.

Filmmaking Career

Starting Out in Film

When the Beijing Film Academy reopened in 1978, Zhang was older than the usual age limit. But he was very talented. With help from relatives and important artists, his photography work impressed the Minister of Culture, Huang Zhen. Zhang was allowed to join the academy. He graduated in 1982 with other students who would become known as the "Fifth Generation" of Chinese directors. This group helped bring new and exciting Chinese films to the world after the Cultural Revolution.

Zhang started as a cinematographer, which means he was in charge of how the movie was filmed. He worked on films like One and Eight and Yellow Earth in 1984. These movies were very successful and showed the world a new kind of Chinese cinema. In 1985, Zhang also acted in the film Old Well, and he won an award for Best Actor at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Major Films of the 1980s and 1990s

In 1988, Zhang Yimou directed his first film, Red Sorghum. This movie starred Gong Li, who became a famous actress. Red Sorghum was a big hit and won the Golden Bear award at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival. This made Zhang a well-known director around the world.

His next film, Ju Dou (1990), also starring Gong Li, was China's first film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. After that, he directed Raise the Red Lantern (1991), which received huge international praise. Critics loved its beautiful visuals and use of colors. This film was also nominated for an Oscar.

In 1992, Zhang directed The Story of Qiu Ju, again with Gong Li. This film won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival.

Zhang Yimou director

His 1994 film, To Live, showed the strength of ordinary Chinese people through many changes in the 20th century. It won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1999, Zhang made Not One Less, which won him another Golden Lion award in Venice. That same year, he directed The Road Home, which introduced the young actress Zhang Ziyi.

Films from 2000 to Today

In 2002, Zhang directed the martial arts epic Hero. This film had many famous Asian stars like Jet Li and Maggie Cheung. Hero was a huge international success and was nominated for an Oscar.

He followed Hero with another martial arts film, House of Flying Daggers, in 2004. This movie was also praised for its stunning visuals and colors. In 2006, Zhang worked with actress Gong Li again on the film Curse of the Golden Flower.

Zhang's films have sometimes caused discussion. Some people say his recent movies are approved by the Chinese government. However, Zhang has said he is not interested in politics and felt honored to direct the Olympic ceremonies. In 2008, he won a Peabody Award for his amazing work at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

More recently, Zhang directed The Flowers of War (2011) and The Great Wall (2016). In 2018, he directed the critically acclaimed film Shadow, which won him the Best Director award at the Golden Horse Awards. His recent films include Cliff Walkers (2021) and Full River Red (2023).

Stage and Olympic Productions

Directing Stage Shows

Since the 1990s, Zhang Yimou has also directed stage productions. In 1998, he directed a famous version of the opera Turandot in Florence and later in Beijing. He also adapted his film Raise the Red Lantern into a ballet in 2001.

Zhang has co-directed several outdoor musical shows called Impression. These shows combine music, dance, and lights in beautiful natural settings, like Impression, Liu Sanjie on the Li River and Impression West Lake in Hangzhou.

Olympic Ceremonies

Zhang Yimou was chosen to direct the amazing opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. These ceremonies were a huge success and showed China's culture to the world. He also directed the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Steven Spielberg, a famous American director, praised Zhang's work on the Olympic ceremonies. He said Zhang captured the spirit of harmony and peace, which is what the Olympic Games are all about.

Filmmaking Style

Zhang Yimou's films often focus on strong visuals. He pays a lot of attention to how scenes are framed, the colors used, and the lighting. He uses these visual elements to show emotions and tell stories in a powerful way.

He is very good at using simple colors in a clear and striking manner. For example, in Red Sorghum, the color red represents things like passion and strength. Zhang's films often explore big social themes and ideas about modern life in China.

His films have received different reactions. Some critics love his beautiful visuals and how he has brought Chinese cinema to a global audience.

Personal Life

Zhang Yimou has been married twice and has children. His first wife was Xiao Hua, and they had a daughter named Zhang Mo. He later married Chen Ting, and they have three children: Zhang Yinan, Zhang Yiding, and Zhang Yijiao.

Filmography

Director

Cinematographer

Actor

Awards and Recognitions

Zhang Yimou has won many prestigious awards for his films. Here are some of them:

Images for kids

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  Zhang Yimou at the Hawaii International Film Festival in 2005

See also

In Spanish: Zhang Yimou para niños

• Yimou girl
• Cinema of China
• Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize
• Zhang Jigang