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Yimou Zhang Biography

Birth Name:Yimou Zhang

Birth Place:Xi'an, Shaanxi, China

Profession Director, Writer, Producer, Actor, Cinematographer, Production designer, Assistant director, Camera department

Fast Facts

Holds honorary degrees from Harvard University and Boston University
Graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1982
Quote: "I love to make movies․ I don't love doing anything else; on a personal level, I don't have any hobbies or distractions of my own․ So I devote 100 percent of my time to filmmaking․"
Quote: "(On how he is able to accomplish so much with limited time) "To me, no time should be wasted․ I've always been educated that way and shaped that way, so it's become second nature to me to work like that․""
Helped to launch the career of Chinese actress Gong Li
Made his directorial debut in 1987 with the release of Chinese war drama "Red Sorghum․"
Is considered a member of Chinese cinema's "Fifth Generation․"

Awards

1985Golden Rooster-Best Cinematography: winner
1985Best Cinematography-: winner
1987Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
1988Golden Berlin Bear-: winner
1988Golden Rooster-Best Director: nominated
1988Golden Rooster-Best Film: winner
1988Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
1988FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
1988Best Film-: winner
1988Best Director-: winner
1988Best Artistic Achievement-: winner
1989Youth Jury Award-Best Picture: winner
1989German Film Critics Award-Best Foreign Language Film(Bester fremdsprachiger Film): nominated
1989Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
1989Sliver Antigone-: winner
1990Palme d'Or-: nominated
1990Gold Hugo-Best Feature: winner
1990Audience Award-Best Film: winner
1990Golden Spike-Best Film: winner
1991Amanda-Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm): winner
1991Bronze Horse-: nominated
1991Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
1991FIPRESCI Prize-Competition: winner
1991Silver Lion-: winner
1991Elvira Notari Prize-: winner
1991Golden Lion-: nominated
1992Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1992David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): winner
1992Huabiao Film Award-Special Jury Award: winner
1992Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
1992LAFCA Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1992Most Popular Film-: winner
1992UNICEF Award-: winner
1992Golden Lion-: winner
1992OCIC Award - Honorable Mention-: winner
1993Academy Film Award-Best Film: winner
1993Academy Film Award-Best Director: winner
1993Silver Condor-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
1993Best Foreign Film Award-: nominated
1993BAFTA Film Award-Best Film not in the English Language: winner
1993Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1993Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1993Golden Rooster-Best Film: winner
1993Golden Rooster-Best Director: nominated
1993Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: nominated
1993Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
1993Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
1993Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
1993Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
1993Golden Aphrodite-Best Film: nominated
1993Critics Award-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
1993Turia Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
1994Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-: winner
1994Grand Prize of the Jury-: winner
1994Palme d'Or-: nominated
1994Independent Spirit Award-Best Foreign Film: nominated
1995BAFTA Film Award-Best Film not in the English Language: winner
1995Palme d'Or-: nominated
1997Grand Jury Prize-: nominated
1997Golden Lion-: nominated
1998Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: nominated
1999Screen International Award-: nominated
1999Golden Rooster-Best Director: winner
1999Golden Rooster-Best Film: nominated
1999Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
1999Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Director: winner
1999Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
1999Shanghai Film Critics Award-Best Director: winner
1999Audience Award-Best Feature: winner
1999Sergio Trasatti Award-: winner
1999Golden Lion-: winner
1999UNICEF Award-: winner
1999Laterna Magica Prize-: winner
2000NETPAC Award-Best Director: winner
2000NETPAC Award-Best Picture: nominated
2000Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2000Prize of the Ecumenical Jury-Competition: winner
2000Silver Berlin Bear-Jury Grand Prix: winner
2000Golden Rooster-Best Film: winner
2000Golden Rooster-Best Director: winner
2000Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2000Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
2000Audience Award-: winner
2001Bodil-Best Non-American Film (Bedste ikke amerikanske film): nominated
2001Crystal Simorgh-International Competition - Best Film: winner
2001Audience Award-Best International Feature Film: winner
2001Golden Butterfly-Best Film: winner
2001Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2001Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2001Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2001Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film Director: winner
2001Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2001Audience Award-World Cinema: winner
2002Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: winner
2002Readers' Choice Award-Best Director: winner
2002Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2002FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
2002Silver Spike-Best Film: winner
2002Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2002Youth Jury Award-Official Section: winner
2003NETPAC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2003NETPAC Award-Best Director: winner
2003NETPAC Award-Best Picture: nominated
2003Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2003Alfred Bauer Award-: winner
2003Grand Prix-: nominated
2003Golden Bauhinia-Best Director: nominated
2003Golden Rooster-Best Director: winner
2003Golden Rooster-Best Co-production Film: winner
2003Hong Kong Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
2003Hong Kong Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2003Hong Kong Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2003Huabiao Film Award-Special Jury Award: winner
2003Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Co-Production Film: winner
2003Huabiao Film Award-Honorary Award For Co-Production: winner
2003Hundred Flowers Award-Best Film: winner
2003INOCA-Best Non-English Language Film: nominated
2003Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2004BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2004Robert-Best Non-American Film (Årets ikke-amerikanske film): nominated
2004Screen International Award-: nominated
2004Golden Rooster-Best Director: nominated
2004Golden Rooster-Best Film: nominated
2004Kinema Junpo Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2004LAFCA Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
2004NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2005Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
2005NETPAC Award-Best Picture: nominated
2005NETPAC Award-Best Director: nominated
2005BAFTA Film Award-Best Film not in the English Language: nominated
2005China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Box Office Director: winner
2005Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Film: nominated
2005Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: nominated
2005INOCA-Best Non-English Language Film: nominated
2005ALFS Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2005NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2005OFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2005Shanghai Film Critics Award-Top 22 Film of Chinese Cinema: winner
2005Shanghai Film Critics Award-Top 22 Film of Chinese Cinema: winner
2006NETPAC Award-Best Director: nominated
2006NETPAC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2006NETPAC Award-Best Picture: winner
2006China Film Media Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2006Golden Eagle-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2006Hundred Flowers Award-Best Director: nominated
2006Premio Guarani-Best Foreign Film: nominated
2007NETPAC Award-Best Director: winner
2007NETPAC Award-Best Picture: winner
2007Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Film: winner
2007Hong Kong Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2007Hong Kong Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
2007Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2007Weibo Award-Film of the Year: winner
2010Golden Berlin Bear-: nominated
2010Weibo Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2011NETPAC Award-Best Director: nominated
2011NETPAC Award-Best Picture: nominated
2011Crystal Bear-Generation 14plus - Best Feature Film: nominated
2011Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Film: nominated
2011Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2011Silver Mirror Award-Best Feature: nominated
2011Audience Award-: nominated
2011Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2012Felix-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2012Asian Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2012NETPAC Award-Best Picture: winner
2012NETPAC Award-Best Director: winner
2012Golden Angel Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2012Hong Kong Film Award-Best Chinese Language Film from the Two Coasts: nominated
2012Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: nominated
2013CEC Award-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): nominated
2013Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2013Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Director: nominated
2014Golden Deer-Best Director: nominated
2014Audience Award-Best Director: winner
2014Audience Award-Best Film: nominated
2014Golden Lotus Awards-Best Picture: winner
2014Film of Merit-Top Ten Films: winner
2014Golden Spike-Best Film: nominated
2015NETPAC Award-Best Director: winner
2015NETPAC Award-Best Picture: winner
2015Jury Award-Best Director: nominated
2015China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Director: nominated
2015China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Picture: nominated
2015CCF Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2015Hong Kong Film Award-Best Chinese Language Film from the Two Coasts: winner
2015Huading Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: nominated
2016Cinema Bloggers Award-Best Asian Film: nominated
2016Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: nominated
2016Readers' Choice Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2017Golden Angel Award-Outstanding Films: winner
2018Best Film-Official Competition: nominated
2018Festival Award-Best Film: winner
2018China Film Critics Award-Top Ten Films: winner
2018Golden Angel Award-Outstanding Films: winner
2018Golden Horse Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2018Golden Horse Award-Best Director: winner
2018Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: nominated
2018Jury Award-Best Promotional Film: winner
2018Weibo Movie Award-Most Influential Director: winner
2018Weibo Movie Award-Anticipated Movie of the Year: winner
2019Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
2019NETPAC Award-Best Director: nominated
2019NETPAC Award-Best Picture: nominated
2019NETPAC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2019AACTA Award-Best Asian Film: nominated
2019Jury Award-Best Visual Effect: winner
2019Jury Award-Best Art Exploration: nominated
2019Golden Berlin Bear-Best Film: nominated
2019China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Picture: nominated
2019China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Director: nominated
2019Chinese Film Competition-Best Film: nominated
2019Chinese Film Competition-Best Screenplay: nominated
2019Chinese Film Competition-Best Director: winner
2019Students' Choice Award-Favorite Screenplay: nominated
2019Students' Choice Award-Favorite Action Film: winner
2019Huading Award-Best Picture: nominated
2019Huading Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: nominated
2019ICP Award-Best Foreign Language Film: nominated
2019Halfway Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2019Knight Competition Grand Jury Prize-Best Film: nominated
2019Weibo Award-Director of the Year: winner
2020M Ranking-Director of the Year: winner
2020Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
2020Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Chinese Language Film: nominated
2020IFeng Award-Best Picture: nominated
2020IFeng Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: winner
2020Zhihu Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: winner
2020Zhihu Award-Best Writing for a Motion Picture: winner
2021Golden Elm Award-Best Film: winner
2021Asian Film Award-Best Director: winner
2021Golden Deer-Best Film: nominated
2021Golden Deer-Best Director: nominated
2021China Film Critics Award-Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2021China Film Critics Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2021China Film Critics Award-Film of the Year: nominated
2021China Film Critics Award-Top Ten Films: winner
2021China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Director: nominated
2021China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Picture: nominated
2021M Ranking-Director of the Year: winner
2021NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film-: nominated
2021Official Jury Prize-Best Director: winner
2021Chinese Film Competition-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021Chinese Film Competition-Best Film: nominated
2021Chinese Film Competition-Best Director: nominated
2021Golden Crane Award-Best Film: winner
2021Golden Rooster-Best Director: winner
2021Golden Rooster-Best Film: nominated
2021Film Unit-Best Screenplay: winner
2021Students' Choice Award-Favorite Director: nominated
2021Students' Choice Award-Best Film: nominated
2021Students' Choice Award-Favorite Screenplay: nominated
2021WenRong TV Award-Best Film: nominated
2021Huading Award-Best Picture: nominated
2021Huading Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: nominated
2021Huading Award-Best Writing for a Motion Picture: winner
2021Golden Lotus Awards-Best Director: nominated
2021Golden Lotus Awards-Best Feature Film: nominated
2021BNL People's Choice Award-Best Film: nominated
2021Golden Seashell-Best Film: nominated
2021Official Fantàstic Competition-Best Motion Picture: nominated
2021Weibo Movie Award-Word of Mouth Film of the Year: winner
2021Youth Film Manual Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021Youth Film Manual Award-Grand Jury Prize: winner
2021Youth Film Manual Award-Outstanding Film: nominated
2021Youth Film Manual Award-Best Director: nominated
2022Academy Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2022Academy Film Award-Best Film: winner
2022Golden Elm Award-Best Director: winner
2022Jury Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2022Golden Deer-Best Film: nominated
2022China Film Critics Award-Director of the Year: nominated
2022China Film Critics Award-Film of the Year: nominated
2022China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Picture: nominated
2022China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2022China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Director: nominated
2022China Movie Channel Award-Most Popular Director: nominated
2022Chinese Film Competition-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2022Chinese Film Competition-Best Director: nominated
2022Golden Rooster-Best Director: nominated
2022Golden Rooster-Best Film: nominated
2022Film Unit-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2022Jin Li hua Award-Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture: nominated
2022Huading Award-Best Writing for a Motion Picture: nominated
2022Jin Li hua Award-Best Director for a Motion Picture: winner
2022Golden Lotus Awards-Best Feature Film: nominated
2022Golden Lotus Awards-Best Director: nominated
2022Rene Rodriguez Critics Award-: winner
2022WGC Award-Outstanding Screenplay: winner
2023Jury Award-Best Film: nominated
2023Jury Award-Best Director: winner
2023Golden Deer-Best Director: nominated
2023China Film Critics Award-Top Ten Films: winner
2023M Ranking-Film of the Year: winner
2023M Ranking-Director of the Year: winner
2023China Movie Channel Award-Most Popular Film: nominated
2023China Movie Channel Award-Most Popular Director: nominated
2023Chinese Film Competition-Best Director: nominated
2023Film Unit-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2023Jin Li hua Award-Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture: nominated
2023Huading Award-Best Directing for a Motion Picture: nominated
2023Golden Silk Road Award-Best Director: winner
2023Golden Silk Road Award-Best Film: nominated
2023Weibo Award-Film of the Year: winner
2023Weibo Award-Most Influential Director: winner
2023WGC Award-Outstanding Screenplay: winner
2024Top Grossing Asian Film Award-: winner
2024Jury Award-Best Film: nominated
2024Golden Deer-Best Director: winner
2024China Movie Channel Award-Most Popular Director: nominated
2024Golden Rooster-Best Film: winner
2024Golden Rooster-Best Screenplay: nominated
2024Film Unit-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2024Film Unit-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2024Students' Choice Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2024Students' Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2024Students' Choice Award-Best Film: nominated
2024Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Chinese Language Film: nominated
2024Hundred Flowers Award-Best Director: winner
2024Hundred Flowers Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2024Golden Lotus Awards-Best Screenplay: nominated
2024Golden Lotus Awards-Best Director: nominated
2024Golden Lotus Awards-Best Feature Film: winner
2024Film of Merit-Top Ten Films: winner
2024WGC Award-Outstanding Screenplay: winner
2025China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Director: nominated
2025China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Picture: nominated
2025China Film Directors' Guild Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2025China Film Directors' Guild Award-Special Jury Award: winner
2025Chunyan Award-Best Director: winner
2025Chunyan Award-Best Film: winner
2025Hong Kong Film Award-Best Asian Chinese Language Film: nominated
2025Huabiao Film Award-Outstanding Film: winner
2025China Movie & TV Night Award-Best Screenplay for Film of the Year: winner
2025WGC Award-Outstanding Screenplay: winner