Happy 70th Birthday, Zhang Yimou! Born today in 1950, this Chinese actor, former photographer, cinematographer, writer, producer and film director is part of the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers.
As a prominent member of China's "Fifth Generation", Yimou is known for his films that explore sexual repression and political oppression.
Born in Xi'an, the capital of the landlocked Shaanxi province in northwestern China, Yimou was the son of Zhang Bingjun, his dermatologist father, of whom had previously been an officer in the National Revolutionary Army during the Chinese Civil War.
Yimou's mother was a doctor, of whom had two younger sons, both named Zhang. As a result, Yimou faced difficulties in his early life.
During the Cultural Revolution (formerly the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution) of the 1960s and 1970s, Yimou left his school studies and went to work, first as a farm laborer for three years, and later at a cotton textile mill for seven years.
During this time, Yimou took up painting and amateur still photography, selling his own blood to buy his first camera.
In 1978, he went to Beijing Film Academy and majored in photography. Yimou later received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Boston University and also one from Yale University.
When the Beijing Film Academy reopened its doors to new students in 1978, following the abandonment of policies adopted during the Cultural Revolution, Yimou, at twenty-seven, was over the regulation age for admission, and was without the prerequisite academic qualifications.
After a personal appeal to the Ministry of Culture, and showing a portfolio of his personal photographic works, the authorities relented and admitted him to the Faculty of Cinematography.
Zhang eventually graduated with the class of 1982. This also included Chen Kaige ('Farewell My Concubine'), Tian Zhuangzhuang ('The Horse Thief', 'The Blue Kite'), and Chinese film director and screenwriter Zhang Junzhao, who was mainly active in the 1980s.
The class later went on to form the core of the Fifth Generation, who were a part of an artistic reemergence in China after the end of the Cultural Revolution.
Zhang and his co-graduates were later assigned to small regional studios, and Zhang was sent to work for the Guangxi Film Studio as a cinematographer.
Though originally intended to work as director's assistants, the graduates soon discovered there was a dearth of directors so soon after the Cultural Revolution, and gained permission to start making their own films.
These two films were later successes at the Hong Kong Film Festival and helped to bring the new Chinese cinema to the attention of worldwide audiences, signaling a departure from the earlier propagandist films of the Cultural Revolution.
This led to the production of Junzhao's landmark 1983 Chinese drama/war film 'Yi ge he ba ge' ('One and Eight', on which Zhang worked as director of photography), and Kaige's 1984 Chinese drama/musical film 'Huáng tǔdì' ('Yellow Earth').
Today, 'Yellow Earth' is widely considered the inaugural film of the Fifth Generation directors.
Three years later, Yimou directed his debut feature and the first film of which he is best known. This was the 1987 Chinese drama/romance film 'Hóng gāoliáng' ('Red Sorghum'). It starred Gong Li in her first leading role.
Set in a rural village in China's eastern province of Shandong during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the film is told in flashback.
It follows poor Young Jiu'er (Li). She is sent by her parents to marry an old leper who owns a distillery.
As she is being carried over the sorghum fields, bandits attack and she is rescued by a laborer (Wen Jiang), with whom she has a son -- the narrator.
After the old leper dies, Jiu'er takes control of the distillery and invites the workers into a collective arrangement.
However, as the Sino-Japanese War peaks, barbarous Japanese troops storm onto the property determined to destroy the sorghum fields.
The film is narrated from the point of view of the protagonist’s grandson, who reminisces about his grandmother.
The film is also based on Chinese novelist and short story writer Mo Yan's 1986 Chinese language novel Hóng Gāoliáng Jiāzú (Red Sorghum: A Novel of China or Red Sorghum Clan. Red Sorghum Family).
Upon release, 'Red Sorghum' was met with critical acclaim, bringing Yimou to the forefront of the world's art directors.
The following year, the film won him a Golden Bear for Best Picture at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival in February 1988.
One year later, Zhang was a member of the jury at the 16th Moscow International Film Festival in July 1989.
Two years later, after the success of his 1990 Chinese drama/romance film 'Ju Dou' (starring Li), Yimou began work on the second film of which he is best known for directing.
This was the 1991 Chinese drama/history film 'Dà Hóng Dēnglong Gāogāo Guà' ('Raise the Red Lantern'). It was also Li's fourth collaboration with Yimou as director.
The film is set in 1920s Republic of China during the Warlord Era (1916–1928), years before the Chinese Civil War.
The family of nineteen-year-old Songlian (Li), has been devastated by the recent death of her father. She later becomes the third concubine of wealthy Master Chen (Jingwu Ma).
However, she soon discovers that behind the palatial luxury of life in the master's house, she and her fellow concubines, Zhuoyan (Cao Cuifeng) and Meishan (He Caifei), are pitted against each other in a struggle for his affections.
As the seasons pass, the situation inevitably leads to deception, jealous rages and the revelation of each other's darkest secrets.
'Raise the Red Lantern' was an adaptation of Chinese writer Tong Zhonggui's 1990 fiction novel Wives and Concubines.
The film had been co-produced by Hou Hsiao-hsien ('The Time to Live and the Time to Die', 'A City of Sadness', 'The Puppetmaster').
Upon release, 'Raise the Red Lantern' later received almost unanimous international acclaim. Roger Ebert noted its "voluptuous physical beauty" and sumptuous use of colours.
Li's acting was also praised as starkly contrasting with the roles she played in Yimou's earlier films.
The following year, 'Raise the Red Lantern' was also nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category, becoming the second Chinese film to earn this distinction (after Yimou's 'Ju Dou').
However, it didn't win. This occurred at the at the 64th Academy Awards in late March 1992.
In the early 2000s, Yimou's next major (and ambitious) project was the third film of which he is best known for co-writing, producing and directing.
This was the 2002 Chinese wuxia action/drama film 'Yīng Xióng' ('Hero'). It had an impressive lineup of Asian stars, including Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Zhang Ziyi, and Donnie Yen.
Set in ancient China during the Warring States period, this visually arresting martial arts epic follows an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) who is being honored for defeating three of the king's most dangerous enemies.
However, when Nameless recounts his battles with the assassins -- Broken Sword (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), Flying Snow (Maggie Cheung) and Hold (Zhang Ziyi) -- the king begins to question some of the details.
As Nameless goes on, the king challenges the tales, interjecting his own take on these perhaps suspect versions of events.
'Hero' had been shot by Australian-Hong-Kong cinematographer Christopher Doyle.
He has worked on over fifty Chinese-language films, being best known for his collaborations with Wong Kar-Wai ('Chungking Express', 'Happy Together', 'In the Mood for Love').
'Hero' was first released in China on October 24, 2002. At that time, it was the most expensive project and one of highest-grossing motion pictures in China.
Miramax Films later bought the American market distribution rights, but delayed the release of the film for nearly two years. Quentin Tarantino eventually convinced Miramax to open the film in American theaters on August 27, 2004.
Upon release in the United States, 'Hero' received positive reviews from critics. It became the first Chinese-language movie to place No. 1 at the American box office, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks.
On a budget of $31 million, 'Hero' grossed $177.4 million at the box office worldwide. The film was one of the few foreign-language films to debut at number one at the United States box office.
It was later one of the Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Film. However, it didn't win. This occurred at the 75th Academy Awards in late March 2003.
One year later, Yimou was chosen to direct the Beijing portion of the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics (officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad) in Athens, Greece in August.
This also included the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics (officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad and commonly known as Beijing 2008) in Beijing, China.
This was alongside the Lieutenant General of the People's Liberation Army, co-director and internationally acclaimed choreographer Zhang Jigang.
Yimou's recent films (and his involvement with the 2008 Summer Olympic ceremonies in August), have not been without controversy.
Some critics claim that his recent works, contrary to his earlier films, have received approval from the Chinese government.
However, in interviews, Yimou has said that he is not interested in politics, and that it was an honor for him to direct the Olympic ceremonies because it was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Later that same year, Yimou was a runner-up for the Time Magazine Person of the Year award.
Steven Spielberg, who withdrew as an adviser to the Olympic ceremonies to pressure China into helping with the conflict in Darfur, described Zhang's works in the Olympic ceremonies in Time.
He said: "At the heart of Zhang's Olympic ceremonies was the idea that the conflict of man foretells the desire for inner peace. This theme is one he's explored and perfected in his films, whether they are about the lives of humble peasants or exalted royalty.
This year he captured this prevalent theme of harmony and peace, which is the spirit of the Olympic Games. In one evening of visual and emotional splendor, he educated, enlightened, and entertained us all."
Later that same year, Yimou won a Peabody Award "for creating a spell-binding, unforgettable celebration of the Olympic promise, featuring a cast of thousands" at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Yimou's commitment to telling honest stories about the lives of people under oppression occur both from their circumstances and also from within their hearts.
One of the most acclaimed Chinese filmmakers of the late 20th century, the award-winning Yimou has produced a series of intensely moving period dramas about the political and emotional inequalities suffered by women in Chinese history.
Reception of Zhang's films has been mixed. While some critics praise his striking aesthetics and ability to break into the Western art market, other have attacked Zhang for pandering to Western audiences and portraying China as weak, exotic, and vulnerable.
Yimou has been active from 1987–present.
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