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Zhang Yimou: From the fifth generation of directors to "lifetime achievement", what did he do right?
The words "lifetime achievement" carry a lot of weight in any field, let alone in the fiercely competitive and vanity fair-like film industry.
Recently, Zhang Yimou won this award, which instantly became a hot topic inside and outside the circle.
Some people say that he deserves his name, some people say that he deserves higher honors, and some people turn out the old yellow calendar to count the "highlight moments" and controversial moments of this great director who was a photographer.
When it comes to the rise of Chinese films, the name Zhang Yimou is almost inescapable.
From the early "Red Sorghum" to the later "Hero", from the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games to various large-scale theatrical performances, his works can always set off a storm of public opinion, making people hotly discussed, debated, and even criticized.
But in any case, you can't ignore his place in the history of Chinese cinema.
He is always at the forefront of trends, constantly challenging the tastes of the audience, and also expanding the boundaries of Chinese cinema.
Today, let's talk about Zhang Yimou, from his inspirational history of struggle, to the inheritance and innovation of his film art, trying to unlock the success code of this film giant.
1. From the Northwest Factory to the International Film Industry: An "Atypical" Director's Counterattack
It's hard to imagine that a film master who has won international awards and whose works have left a deep imprint on the hearts of fans around the world was originally just an ordinary factory worker in the northwest.
Zhang Yimou's story, like an inspirational movie, is full of dramatic twists.
In the 60s of the last century, Zhang Yimou was born in an ordinary family in Xi'an, Shaanxi.
In the early 70s, because of his family background, he was forced to interrupt his studies and went to rural Shaanxi to join the queue.
During those difficult years, he worked as a farmer, as a porter, and as a laborer in a textile factory for seven years.
Perhaps it was the love of art in his bones, or the arrangement of unwilling fate, in 1978, when the news of the resumption of the college entrance examination came, Zhang Yimou, who was already 28 years old, resolutely decided to seize this opportunity to change his fate.
He heard that the photography department of Beijing Film Academy was recruiting new students, so he began to study photography desperately.
However, fate always seems to like to play tricks on people.
Because he exceeded the enrollment requirements, Zhang Yimou's application was rejected.
But he did not give up, but took out the momentum of "three visits to the thatched house" and wrote a long letter to the then Minister of Culture, detailing his love for film and his experience of learning photography.
Perhaps moved by his persistence, the Ministry of Culture made an exception to admit this "older youth".
In this way, Zhang Yimou finally knocked on the door of film art and started his "counterattack" journey.
After Zhang Yimou entered the film academy, he was very involved in learning all kinds of film knowledge, like a sponge absorbing water, desperately absorbing every bit of nutrients.
Talent combined with hard work soon allowed him to show his talent in photography.
In 1982, after graduating from Beijing Film Academy, he was assigned to Guangxi Film Studio as a photographer.
In 1984, Zhang Yimou worked as a cinematographer and participated in the filming of the film "One and Eight", which is considered the starting point of the rise of the "fifth generation of directors" in Chinese cinema.
Zhang Yimou's unique photography style has added a lot to this film and made him stand out in the industry.
Zhang Yimou doesn't just want to be a good photographer, he has always had a dream of directing in his heart.
In 1987, he finally waited for the opportunity to direct his first film, "Red Sorghum".
This film is adapted from Mo Yan's novel of the same name, which tells the love story full of vitality between a woman named "Jiu'er" and a winemaker "Yu Zhanao" in the Gaomi area of Shandong Province in the 30s of the 20th century.
After the film was released, it was like a bombshell, causing a huge sensation in the domestic and foreign film circles, and won the Golden Bear Award at the 38th Berlin International Film Festival, becoming the first film in the history of Chinese film to win the highest award at the three major international film festivals in Europe.
This film not only made Zhang Yimou famous overnight, but also announced the rise of the "fifth generation of directors" of Chinese films.
2. From "Red Sorghum" to "Shadow": The "Evolutionary History" of a Chinese Film
The success of "Red Sorghum" made Zhang Yimou feel the joy of success, and also made him more determined to continue making movies.
In the decades that followed, he continued to experiment with new themes, challenged new technologies, and created one classic work after another, which also witnessed the "evolution" of Chinese films from obscurity to the world.
"Red Sorghum" can be said to be the starting point of Zhang Yimou's film career, while "Ju Dou" and "Hang the Red Lantern" pay more attention to the fate of women and expose the cruelty of feudal etiquette.
Both films feature women as the protagonists, showing women's repression and resistance in feudal society through delicate lens language and unique narrative perspectives.
These two films also gave Zhang Yimou a higher reputation in the international film industry, cementing his position as a leading figure in China's "fifth generation of directors".
In the 90s, Zhang Yimou's creative vision was broader, and his themes were richer and more diverse.
He set his sights on the transition period of Chinese society, and made films that reflected realistic themes such as "Qiu Ju's Lawsuit" and "Alive", which focused on the fate of the little people at the bottom, showing their struggle and perseverance in the changing times, which won him unanimous praise from audiences at home and abroad, and also won him many international awards such as the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the rapid growth of the Chinese film market, Zhang Yimou has also begun to get involved in the creation of commercial genre films.
He directed costume martial arts blockbusters such as "Hero", "Ambush on All Sides", and "The City Full of Golden Armor", which achieved huge box office success with their magnificent scenes, exquisite images and star casts, and also triggered people's thinking about the direction of the commercialization of Chinese films.
Zhang Yimou not only made commercial blockbusters, but also did not forget to pursue art.
He has made literary films such as "A Thousand Miles to Ride Alone" and "The Return", which focus on human nature, emotions and social realities, and show his unique understanding and thinking about the art of cinema.
In 2008, Zhang Yimou served as the chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games, and he used a beautiful audio-visual feast to show the world the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture and the spiritual outlook of the Chinese people, and this performance has also become another peak in his directorial career.
In recent years, Zhang Yimou is still full of creativity, making films such as "Shadow" and "On the Cliff". These works have made new breakthroughs in subject matter, style and technique, demonstrating his continuous pursuit and innovation in the art of film.
From the early "Red Sorghum" to the later "Shadow", Zhang Yimou's film creation is not only the epitome of his personal artistic career, but also the "evolutionary history" of Chinese cinema from closed to open, from imitation to innovation.
3. The "heroes" behind the light and shadow
Zhang Yimou's movie, in addition to the ups and downs of the plot and the superb performances of the actors, the most impressive thing is the visually striking picture.
Whether it is the red sorghum fields that spread all over the mountains in "Red Sorghum" or the colorful autumn leaves in "Heroes", they all show a unique oriental aesthetic
4. From the "Fifth Generation" to the New Era: Zhang Yimou's Films, the Future of Chinese Cinema
From becoming famous in 1987 with "Red Sorghum" to now winning the "Lifetime Achievement Award for Film Art", Zhang Yimou has been on the road of film for nearly 40 years.
He has experienced the golden age of Chinese films, and has also witnessed the development and twists and turns of the film market.
As a representative of China's "fifth generation of directors", Zhang Yimou's works always bear a distinct imprint of the times, as well as his unique thinking about Chinese society, Chinese culture and Chinese.
The focus on the countryside and the underprivileged in his early works reflects the pains and hopes of China's social transition. The discussion of history and human nature in his later works shows his deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture and national spirit.
Entering the new era, in the face of the rapid development of the Chinese film market and the changes in the audience's aesthetic taste, Zhang Yimou is also constantly adjusting his creative direction.
He began to try to create more commercial genre films, but he never gave up the pursuit of art.
He hopes to be able to make a film that is both popular and popular, which can not only meet the entertainment needs of the audience, but also provoke people's thinking.
Zhang Yimou not only makes films, but also enthusiastically helps young directors and contributes to the Chinese film industry.
He has served as the chairman of the jury of many domestic and foreign film festivals, and has campaigned for Chinese films to go global.
Zhang Yimou is full of confidence in the future of Chinese films, and he believes that with the continuous development of China's film industry and the continuous emergence of talents, Chinese films will usher in a more brilliant tomorrow.
Fifth, the road of light and shadow will never end
Zhang Yimou has gone from an ordinary worker in the Northwest to an internationally renowned film master, and his film path is full of many incredible stories.
His success is inseparable from his talent and hard work, and even more inseparable from his love and dedication to movies.
Zhang Yimou is in his sixties, but his creative enthusiasm has not diminished. He is still busy in the film industry, capturing the changes of the times and telling the story of China through his lens.
Zhang Yimou's Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Art not only affirmed his creative achievements over the past decades, but also encouraged him to continue to make more good works.
We believe that Zhang Yimou will create more excellent works in the future, and his film road will become more and more exciting.
Information source:
The award was announced, Zhang Yimou won the "Film Art Lifetime Achievement Award"2024-09-26 12:59 · Jiupai Express
