Tiempos felices zhang yimou biography

The first of these, Yellow Eartheffectively launched the fifth generation outside China and was much commended for its innovative camerawork, in which small figures were photographed against vast expanses of sky. Chen Kaige's second film, The Big Paradeunderwent extensive censorship and revision but again Zhang Yimou's camerawork, capturing the agonies of "square-bashing" in the grueling sun -- this time in widescreen -- was much admired.

Zhang Yimou had long wanted to direct himself and was able to do so by transferring in from Guangxi studio to the Xi'an studio, then run by the imaginative and entrepreneurial Wu Tianming. Wu initially invited Zhang to join him in Xi'an where he had been born to photograph his own upcoming tiempos felices zhang yimou biography Old Well. Zhang agreed on the understanding that he could then direct his own first film.

In their depiction of highly intense scenes through controlled, formalized color photography, both films were deserving nominees for the Academy Awards. The Story of Qiuju marked a significant change in direction for Zhang. Far less unrelenting with scenes of everyday humor, Zhang used non-professional actors together with his long-time collaborator Gong Li to achieve a neorealist effect in telling a tale of Chinese peasantry waddling through ineffective bureacracy.

Upon completing this film, Zhang then made To Live ; Cannes Best Actor for Ge Youa film on an epic framework about the resilience of the ordinary Chinese folks, personified by its two leads, amidst three generations of historical upheavals throughout the century. Zhang completed this phase with the gangster film Shanghai Triad As he made the changes I became very impressed by how well Zhang Yimou seemed to understand the Chinese Communist Party.

But the film still got banned. Worried that he would never be able to make film again, he never seriously challenged the censors after that. It was chosen to open the prestigious New York Film Festival. The Communist government prevented Zhang from attending the festival because the festival also was showing a film about Tiananmen Square.

This was a blow to Zhang who had received approval from the government to film "Shanghai Triad" after his other films had been banned in China. Chinese authorities said the film was not ready, which was not the case according to Zhang's agent. The film does seem unfocused and was one Zhang's first movies without Gong Li after she left Zhang. Maybe authorities didn't want.

In recent years, Zhang has been accused of selling out to the Chinese government. Some have even accused him of being a kind Chinese Leni Riefenstahl, the German director who made propaganda films under Hitler. Zhang has served as an artistic advisor to the Communist leadership, promoted China abroad and produced a short film that helped China win the right to host the Olympics.

Why would he continue to make movies that challenge the political system. Zhang was named artistic advisor to the Beijing Olympics. Chinese authorities have given his film favorable release dates and lobbied Hollywood executives for Oscars for his last three film. Zhang also directed the military parade marking China's 60th anniversary on October 1 Despite his state-sponsored assignments, Zhang denies losing his independence.

He argues that censorship limits all Chinese directors equally, and he denies being burdened by the expectation of his new stature as a national icon. You have to have your feet on the ground. Zhang had fathered seven children with four different women. According to the New York Times reported,: The news has ignited an angry online debate, with Internet users condemning the unequal application of the one child policy.

In DecemberZhang admitted having three children with his current wife, according to a studio media posting. That would mean Zhang has a total of four children including a daughter with his ex-wife. Zhang "would like to make a sincere apology to the public for the negative ramifications caused", said the posting by Yimou Studio, which says it is affiliated to the director.

To Live highlighted the resilience of the ordinary Chinese people, personified by its two main characters, amidst three generations of upheavals throughout Chinese politics of the 20th century. To Live was banned in China by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, due to its critical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government.

Tiempos felices zhang yimou biography

The two had developed a romantic as well as a professional relationship, but this would end during production of Shanghai Triad. Zhang and Gong would not work together again until 's Curse of the Golden Flower. As in The Story of Qiu Ju, Zhang returned to the neorealist habit of employing non-professional actors and location shooting for Not One Less in which won him his second Golden Lion prize in Venice.

The film is based on a simple throw-back narrative centering on a love story between the narrator's parents. Zhang's next major project was the ambitious wuxia drama Hero, released in China in The film was released in North America intwo years after its Chinese release, by American distributor Miramax Films, and became a huge international hit. Hero was one of the few foreign-language films to debut at number 1 at the U.

Zhang followed up the huge success of Hero with another martial arts epic, House of Flying Daggers, in House of Flying Daggers received acclaim from critics, who noted the use of colour that harked back to some of Zhang's earlier works. Released in China inRiding Alone for Thousands of Miles was a return to the more low-key drama that characterized much of Zhang's middle period pieces.

The film stars Japanese actor Ken Takakura, as a father who wishes to repair relations with his alienated son, and is eventually led by circumstance to set out on a journey to China. Zhang had been an admirer of Takakura for over thirty years. Zhang's recent films, and his involvement with the Olympic ceremonies, have not been without controversy.