Tian Zhuangzhuang
Encyclopedia
Tian Zhuangzhuang is a Chinese
film director
and producer
.
Tian was born to an influential actor and actress in China. Following a short stint in the military
, Tian began his artistic career first as an amateur photographer and then as an assistant cinematographer
at the Beijing Agricultural Film Studio. In 1978, he was accepted to the Beijing Film Academy
, from which he graduated in 1982, together with classmates Chen Kaige
and Zhang Yimou
. The class of 1982 collectively would soon gain fame as the so-called Fifth Generation film movement, with Tian Zhuangzhuang as one of the movement's key figures.
Tian's early career was marked both with avant-garde documentary infused films (On the Hunting Ground (1985), The Horse Thief
(1986)) to more commercial fare (Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
(1991)). In 1991, Tian began work on a quiet epic about one of modern China's darkest moments. This film, The Blue Kite
(1993), would eventually result in Tian's nearly decade long exile from the film industry, an exile he returned from with Springtime in a Small Town
(2001). Throughout the 2000s, Tian Zhuangzhuang returned to the fore of Chinese cinema, directing films like the biopic The Go Master
(2006) and the historical action film The Warrior and the Wolf
(2009). Since his banning after the release of The Blue Kite, Tian has also emerged as a mentor for some of China's newest film talents, and he has helped produce several important films for these new generations of directors.
in the 1930s who became head of the Beijing Film Studio after 1949, and Yu Lan
, an actress who later ran the Beijing Children's Film Studio. Given his parents' busy jobs as studio chiefs, Tian was raised primarily by his grandmother, though his parents' positions also allowed him to live a relatively comfortable childhood. But because of the Tians' prominence, Tian Zhuangzhuang suffered heavily during the Cultural Revolution
, and both his parents were persecuted. Unlike fellow director Chen Kaige
, however, Tian never joined the Red Guards, and was eventually sent to the countryside in Jilin
, like many youths from so-called "bad families."
Though from a cinema family, Tian did not initially want to follow in the family footsteps. Instead, Tian enlisted in the People's Liberation Army
in 1968 and served for three years. There he met a war photographer, who introduced him to the camera. Working as a photographer for five years, Tian eventually decided to switch to cinematography and found a job as an assistant cinematographer at the Beijing Agricultural Film Studio.
and was accepted. However, he was forced to apply to the directing department rather than the cinematography department due to his age.
While enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy, Tian directed a short student film, Our Corner (1980), based on a short story by Shi Tiesheng
. Technically, Our Corner stands as the first film made by Fifth Generation directors. Years later, Our Corner would continue to be screened by professors at the BFA, introducing Tian to new generations of actors and filmmakers. As a result of his role in the making of Our Corner, as well as his experience in film before entering school, Tian became a de facto leader among the students of the BFA. They admired not only his natural talent, but also his natural eye for talent and loyalty to his friends, most notably with Hou Yong
, who would go on to serve as his cinematographer
in many of Tian's early works.
Upon his graduation in 1982, Tian was assigned to the Beijing Film Studio, though his early career was spent making films for other studios. These included works for television, as well as the children's film Red Elephant (1982, co-directed with Zhang Jianya
and Xie Xiaojing).
(1986), both about ethnic minorities in China. Though On the Hunting Ground and The Horse Thief were warmly received abroad — American director Martin Scorsese
named The Horse Thief as his favorite film of the 1990s (when The Horse Thief was finally released in the United States) — neither film succeeded domestically, and both were considered commercial flops. On the Hunting Ground, for example, sold a meager four prints. Moreover, both films were criticized by the state and by traditionalists as elitist, and as pandering to foreign audiences, a charge that Tian vigorously and defiantly accepted, arguing that films were for the sophisticated. Nevertheless stung by the rebukes, Tian followed up The Horse Thief with a string of commercially viable films, including Street Players (1987) (his first with the Beijing Film Studio), Rock 'n' Roll Kids (1988), and the historical costume film Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
(1991). Tian has since tried to distance himself from these films, often noting that they were part of a journeyman period of his career, where he would sign on to direct existing projects with funding and screenplays already in place.
(1984), suffered censor interference with several major scenes left on the cutting room floor. But Tian would not face serious consequences as a result of his work until his masterpiece, The Blue Kite
(1993), a film about the adverse effects of Communist rule from the Hundred Flowers Movement, through the Great Leap Forward
, and especially the Cultural Revolution
. The film's quiet criticism of Communist policies in the 1950s and 1960s quickly made it a pariah in the Beijing Film Studio, who refused to submit the film for central approval to be sent abroad for post-production
. The Blue Kite reportedly had to be smuggled out of the country by Tian's friends, where it would proceed to screen at foreign film festivals (including the 1993 Cannes Film Festival
) without approval. Due to the controversy, Tian resigned from his position in the Beijing Film Studio in March 1994. A month later, he became one of six filmmakers blacklisted by the government in April 1994, along with Sixth Generation helmers Wang Xiaoshuai
, He Jianjun
, Zhang Yuan
, Zhang's wife, screenwriter Ning Dai, and the documentary filmmaker Wu Wenguang
.
The ban would last officially until 1996, though Tian would not make another film for several more years. In the interim, he focused on producing, and helped shepherd some of China's new generation of directors with their projects, including his former art director Huo Jianqi
(1995's The Winner) and the Sixth Generation mainstays, Lu Xuechang
(1996's The Making of Steel in which Tian also acted) and Wang Xiaoshuai
(1998's So Close to Paradise
, a film that would see its own share of controversy). Tian's role as mentor for new filmmakers has continued into the 21st century and has seen Tian taking young talent such as Ma Liwen
and Ning Hao
under his wing.
's masterpiece, Spring in a Small Town
(1948), entitled Springtime in a Small Town
. As Tian's first film after his ban for The Blue Kite, Springtime was a small, intimate chamber piece with only five roles. To some critics, it reflected Tian's attempt to "play it safe," though the film's lack of political message did not dull its critical reception.
In 2004, Tian returned to his favorite subject of China's ethnic minorities with Delamu
, a HD
-filmed documentary about peoples in Yunnan
and Tibet
. Delamu was followed by The Go Master
(2006), a biopic
of the legendary Chinese Go
player, Go Seigen
.
The latest work by Tian is a historical epic, The Warrior and the Wolf
, filmed in China's remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The film was originally to star Tang Wei
of Lust, Caution, but Tang was replaced by actress Maggie Q
after the former was banned by Chinese authorities.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
film director
Cinema of China
The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads: Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Since 1949 the cinema of mainland China has operated under restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television and...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
.
Tian was born to an influential actor and actress in China. Following a short stint in the military
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
, Tian began his artistic career first as an amateur photographer and then as an assistant cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
at the Beijing Agricultural Film Studio. In 1978, he was accepted to the Beijing Film Academy
Beijing Film Academy
Beijing Film Academy is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specialised in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia...
, from which he graduated in 1982, together with classmates Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige is a Chinese film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. His films are known for their visual flair and epic storytelling.-Early life:...
and Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou is a Chinese film director, producer, writer and actor, and former cinematographer. He is counted amongst the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers, having made his directorial debut in 1987 with Red Sorghum....
. The class of 1982 collectively would soon gain fame as the so-called Fifth Generation film movement, with Tian Zhuangzhuang as one of the movement's key figures.
Tian's early career was marked both with avant-garde documentary infused films (On the Hunting Ground (1985), The Horse Thief
The Horse Thief
The Horse Thief is a 1986 Chinese film by acclaimed director, Tian Zhuangzhuang. It follows one of Tian's favorite topics, Chinese minorities, a topic he touched upon in 1984's On the Hunting Ground and would return to in 2004's documentary, Delamu...
(1986)) to more commercial fare (Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch, also known as The Last Eunuch, is a 1991 Chinese biographical film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. It tells the story of Li Lianying, a eunuch who wielded power in the waning days of the Qing Dynasty...
(1991)). In 1991, Tian began work on a quiet epic about one of modern China's darkest moments. This film, The Blue Kite
The Blue Kite
The Blue Kite is a film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang in 1993. Though banned by the Chinese government upon its completion , the film soon found a receptive international audience...
(1993), would eventually result in Tian's nearly decade long exile from the film industry, an exile he returned from with Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town is a 2002 Chinese film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film is a remake of director Fei Mu's 1948 film, Spring in a Small Town...
(2001). Throughout the 2000s, Tian Zhuangzhuang returned to the fore of Chinese cinema, directing films like the biopic The Go Master
The Go Master
The Go Master is a 2006 biopic by director Tian Zhuangzhuang of the renowned twentieth century Go master Wu Qingyuan, better known by his adopted Japanese name of Go Seigen...
(2006) and the historical action film The Warrior and the Wolf
The Warrior and the Wolf
The Warrior and the Wolf is an Chinese historical action film directed by veteran filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film tells the story of the battle between two ancient warriors. It is Tian's latest directorial effort since 2006's The Go Master....
(2009). Since his banning after the release of The Blue Kite, Tian has also emerged as a mentor for some of China's newest film talents, and he has helped produce several important films for these new generations of directors.
Early life
Tian Zhuangzhuang was born on April 23, 1952 in Beijng. He was the son of Tian Fang, a famous actorActor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in the 1930s who became head of the Beijing Film Studio after 1949, and Yu Lan
Yu Lan
Yu Lan is a mainland Chinese film actress. In 1962, Yu won Moscow Film Festival for Best Actress for her performance in A Revolutionary Family. Her youngest son is Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuang.-Filmography:-External links:*...
, an actress who later ran the Beijing Children's Film Studio. Given his parents' busy jobs as studio chiefs, Tian was raised primarily by his grandmother, though his parents' positions also allowed him to live a relatively comfortable childhood. But because of the Tians' prominence, Tian Zhuangzhuang suffered heavily during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, and both his parents were persecuted. Unlike fellow director Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige
Chen Kaige is a Chinese film director and a leading figure of the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. His films are known for their visual flair and epic storytelling.-Early life:...
, however, Tian never joined the Red Guards, and was eventually sent to the countryside in Jilin
Jilin
Jilin , is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern part of the country. Jilin borders North Korea and Russia to the east, Heilongjiang to the north, Liaoning to the south, and Inner Mongolia to the west...
, like many youths from so-called "bad families."
Though from a cinema family, Tian did not initially want to follow in the family footsteps. Instead, Tian enlisted in the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
in 1968 and served for three years. There he met a war photographer, who introduced him to the camera. Working as a photographer for five years, Tian eventually decided to switch to cinematography and found a job as an assistant cinematographer at the Beijing Agricultural Film Studio.
Early career
In 1978, after three years at the studio, Tian applied for entrance in the Beijing Film AcademyBeijing Film Academy
Beijing Film Academy is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specialised in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia...
and was accepted. However, he was forced to apply to the directing department rather than the cinematography department due to his age.
While enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy, Tian directed a short student film, Our Corner (1980), based on a short story by Shi Tiesheng
Shi Tiesheng
Shi Tiesheng was a Chinese novelist, known for his story which was the basis of the film Life on a String. The China Daily stated regarding his essay about the park near where he lived, "Many critics have considered I and the Temple of Earth as one of the best Chinese prose essays of the 20th...
. Technically, Our Corner stands as the first film made by Fifth Generation directors. Years later, Our Corner would continue to be screened by professors at the BFA, introducing Tian to new generations of actors and filmmakers. As a result of his role in the making of Our Corner, as well as his experience in film before entering school, Tian became a de facto leader among the students of the BFA. They admired not only his natural talent, but also his natural eye for talent and loyalty to his friends, most notably with Hou Yong
Hou Yong
Hou Yong is a Chinese filmmaker and cinematographer. He is perhaps best known for his collaboration with director Zhang Yimou, though he has worked with many of China's major directors. Like some of Zhang's other cinematographers , Hou has also moved into the directing world...
, who would go on to serve as his cinematographer
Cinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
in many of Tian's early works.
Upon his graduation in 1982, Tian was assigned to the Beijing Film Studio, though his early career was spent making films for other studios. These included works for television, as well as the children's film Red Elephant (1982, co-directed with Zhang Jianya
Zhang Jianya
Zhang Jianya is a Chinese film director. As a graduate of the 1982 class of the Beijing Film Academy, Zhang is a founding member of the so-called Fifth Generation, a group that also includes in its numbers directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Tian Zhuangzhuang.-Directorial...
and Xie Xiaojing).
International success
Tian reached international prominence with a pair of experimental films in the mid-1980s, On the Hunting Ground (1985) and The Horse ThiefThe Horse Thief
The Horse Thief is a 1986 Chinese film by acclaimed director, Tian Zhuangzhuang. It follows one of Tian's favorite topics, Chinese minorities, a topic he touched upon in 1984's On the Hunting Ground and would return to in 2004's documentary, Delamu...
(1986), both about ethnic minorities in China. Though On the Hunting Ground and The Horse Thief were warmly received abroad — American director Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
named The Horse Thief as his favorite film of the 1990s (when The Horse Thief was finally released in the United States) — neither film succeeded domestically, and both were considered commercial flops. On the Hunting Ground, for example, sold a meager four prints. Moreover, both films were criticized by the state and by traditionalists as elitist, and as pandering to foreign audiences, a charge that Tian vigorously and defiantly accepted, arguing that films were for the sophisticated. Nevertheless stung by the rebukes, Tian followed up The Horse Thief with a string of commercially viable films, including Street Players (1987) (his first with the Beijing Film Studio), Rock 'n' Roll Kids (1988), and the historical costume film Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch
Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch, also known as The Last Eunuch, is a 1991 Chinese biographical film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. It tells the story of Li Lianying, a eunuch who wielded power in the waning days of the Qing Dynasty...
(1991). Tian has since tried to distance himself from these films, often noting that they were part of a journeyman period of his career, where he would sign on to direct existing projects with funding and screenplays already in place.
Domestic criticism
Many of Tian's earlier works had drawn fire from the Chinese government. For example, television producers refused to screen his short film Our Corner, and his first major film, SeptemberSeptember (1984 film)
September is a 1984 Chinese film directed by the fifth generation filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang. Though not his first film as director, September is considered Tian's first major feature...
(1984), suffered censor interference with several major scenes left on the cutting room floor. But Tian would not face serious consequences as a result of his work until his masterpiece, The Blue Kite
The Blue Kite
The Blue Kite is a film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang in 1993. Though banned by the Chinese government upon its completion , the film soon found a receptive international audience...
(1993), a film about the adverse effects of Communist rule from the Hundred Flowers Movement, through the Great Leap Forward
Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward of the People's Republic of China was an economic and social campaign of the Communist Party of China , reflected in planning decisions from 1958 to 1961, which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern...
, and especially the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
. The film's quiet criticism of Communist policies in the 1950s and 1960s quickly made it a pariah in the Beijing Film Studio, who refused to submit the film for central approval to be sent abroad for post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
. The Blue Kite reportedly had to be smuggled out of the country by Tian's friends, where it would proceed to screen at foreign film festivals (including the 1993 Cannes Film Festival
1993 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :* Louis Malle * Claudia Cardinale * Inna Churikova * Judy Davis * Abbas Kiarostami * Emir Kusturica * William Lubtchansky * Tom Luddy * Gary Oldman * Augusto M...
) without approval. Due to the controversy, Tian resigned from his position in the Beijing Film Studio in March 1994. A month later, he became one of six filmmakers blacklisted by the government in April 1994, along with Sixth Generation helmers Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He is commonly grouped under the loose association of filmmakers known as the Sixth Generation of the Cinema of China....
, He Jianjun
He Jianjun
He Jianjun is a Chinese film director and screenwriter. A graduate of the Beijing Film Academy, He is considered a leading voice in the so-called "Sixth Generation." He is occasionally credited under the name "He Yi."- Career :...
, Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan
Zhang Yuan is a Chinese film director who has been described by film scholars as a pioneering member of China's Sixth Generation of filmmakers...
, Zhang's wife, screenwriter Ning Dai, and the documentary filmmaker Wu Wenguang
Wu Wenguang
Wu Wenguang 吴文光 is a Chinese independent documentary filmmaker. He is known internationally as one of the founding figures of Chinese independent documentary. His first film, Bumming in Beijing: The Last Dreamers, featured a large amount of handheld camerawork and unscripted interviews...
.
The ban would last officially until 1996, though Tian would not make another film for several more years. In the interim, he focused on producing, and helped shepherd some of China's new generation of directors with their projects, including his former art director Huo Jianqi
Huo Jianqi
Huo Jianqi is a Chinese film director. Like the cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei, Huo Jianqi began his cinematic career in the art department...
(1995's The Winner) and the Sixth Generation mainstays, Lu Xuechang
Lu Xuechang
Lu Xuechang is a sixth generation Chinese film director. One of a new crop of talented filmmakers, Lu has directed four feature films beginning with his debut, The Making of Steel in 1997....
(1996's The Making of Steel in which Tian also acted) and Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai
Wang Xiaoshuai is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He is commonly grouped under the loose association of filmmakers known as the Sixth Generation of the Cinema of China....
(1998's So Close to Paradise
So Close to Paradise
So Close to Paradise is a 1998 Chinese film directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, a member of Chinese cinema's so-called Sixth Generation. It is alternatively known by the English title Ruan's Song or by its original Chinese title, The Girl From Vietnam...
, a film that would see its own share of controversy). Tian's role as mentor for new filmmakers has continued into the 21st century and has seen Tian taking young talent such as Ma Liwen
Ma Liwen
Ma Liwen is a Chinese film director. Ma has directed a handful of films during the 2000s, including 2005's You and Me, and two films in 2008, Lost and Found and Desires of the Heart.- Biography :...
and Ning Hao
Ning Hao
Ning Hao is a Chinese film director. Ning studied at the Taiyuan Film School, where he majored in scenic design. He later transferred to the Art Department of Peking University...
under his wing.
Career revival
After a hiatus from directing of some nine years where Tian mainly focused on producing other directors' works, he returned with a critically acclaimed remake of Fei MuFei Mu
Fei Mu was a major Chinese film director from the pre-Communist era.-Biography:Born in Shanghai, China, Fei Mu is considered by many to be one of the major film directors prior to the communist revolution in 1949...
's masterpiece, Spring in a Small Town
Spring in a Small Town
Spring in a Small Town is a Chinese film released in 1948 and directed by Fei Mu . The film was based on a short story by Li Tianji , and was produced by the Wenhua Film Company....
(1948), entitled Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town is a 2002 Chinese film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film is a remake of director Fei Mu's 1948 film, Spring in a Small Town...
. As Tian's first film after his ban for The Blue Kite, Springtime was a small, intimate chamber piece with only five roles. To some critics, it reflected Tian's attempt to "play it safe," though the film's lack of political message did not dull its critical reception.
In 2004, Tian returned to his favorite subject of China's ethnic minorities with Delamu
Delamu
Delamu is an award winning 2004 documentary film directed by the acclaimed Fifth Generation Chinese filmmaker, Tian Zhuangzhuang. Delamu documents the people living in the Nujiang River Valley, along the Tea Horse Road, an ancient trade route between China's Yunnan province and Tibet. The film was...
, a HD
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
-filmed documentary about peoples in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. Delamu was followed by The Go Master
The Go Master
The Go Master is a 2006 biopic by director Tian Zhuangzhuang of the renowned twentieth century Go master Wu Qingyuan, better known by his adopted Japanese name of Go Seigen...
(2006), a biopic
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
of the legendary Chinese Go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
player, Go Seigen
Go Seigen
Wu Qingyuan , generally known in the West by his Japanese name Go Seigen, is considered by many players to be the greatest player of the game of Go in the 20th century and of all time.-Biography:...
.
The latest work by Tian is a historical epic, The Warrior and the Wolf
The Warrior and the Wolf
The Warrior and the Wolf is an Chinese historical action film directed by veteran filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film tells the story of the battle between two ancient warriors. It is Tian's latest directorial effort since 2006's The Go Master....
, filmed in China's remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The film was originally to star Tang Wei
Tang Wei
Tang Wei is a Chinese actress. She rose to prominence for her appearance in Lust, Caution.-1979–2006: Early life and beginnings:...
of Lust, Caution, but Tang was replaced by actress Maggie Q
Maggie Q
Margaret Denise Quigley , professionally known as Maggie Q, is an American-born actress and former fashion model. She currently stars as the titular character on the action-thriller TV series Nikita.-Early life:...
after the former was banned by Chinese authorities.
As director
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 1980 in film - Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year .... |
Our Corner | 我们的小院 | Short, co-directed with Xie Xiaojing and Cui Xiaoqin |
| 1980 1980 in film - Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year .... |
The Courtyard | 校园 | Short |
| 1982 1982 in film -Events:* March 26 = I Ought to Be in Pictures, starring Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff is released. Manoff would not appear in another movie until 1987's Backfire.* June = PG-rated film E.T... |
Red Elephant | 红象 | Co-directed with Zhang Jianya Zhang Jianya Zhang Jianya is a Chinese film director. As a graduate of the 1982 class of the Beijing Film Academy, Zhang is a founding member of the so-called Fifth Generation, a group that also includes in its numbers directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, and Tian Zhuangzhuang.-Directorial... and Xie Xiaojing |
| 1984 1984 in film -Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film.... |
September September (1984 film) September is a 1984 Chinese film directed by the fifth generation filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang. Though not his first film as director, September is considered Tian's first major feature... |
九月 | Also known as In September |
| 1985 1985 in film -Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie... |
On the Hunting Ground | 猎场扎撒 | |
| 1986 1986 in film -Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.... |
The Horse Thief The Horse Thief The Horse Thief is a 1986 Chinese film by acclaimed director, Tian Zhuangzhuang. It follows one of Tian's favorite topics, Chinese minorities, a topic he touched upon in 1984's On the Hunting Ground and would return to in 2004's documentary, Delamu... |
盗马贼 | |
| 1987 1987 in film -Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records.... |
Street Players | 鼓书艺人 | Also known as The Drum Singers; based on the novel by Lao She Lao She Shu Qingchun , better known by his pen name Lao She was a notable Chinese writer. A novelist and dramatist, he was one of the most significant figures of 20th century Chinese literature, and is perhaps best known for his novel Rickshaw Boy and the play Teahouse . He was of Manchu ethnicity... |
| 1988 1988 in film -Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice... |
Rock 'n' Roll Kids | 摇滚青年 | Also known as Rock Kids |
| 1989 1989 in film -Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million... |
Unforgettable Life Unforgettable Life Unforgettable Life is the first movie concerning premarital pregnancy in China, directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang in 1988... |
特别手术室 | Also known as Special Operating Room and Illegal Lives |
| 1991 1991 in film The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November... |
Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch, also known as The Last Eunuch, is a 1991 Chinese biographical film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. It tells the story of Li Lianying, a eunuch who wielded power in the waning days of the Qing Dynasty... |
大太监李莲英 | Won an Honourable Mention at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival 41st Berlin International Film Festival The 41st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 15 to 26, 1991.-Jury:* Volker Schlöndorff * Chantal Akerman* Laurie Anderson* José Luis Borau* Judith Godrèche* Yuri Klepikov* Renate Krößner* Gillo Pontecorvo... |
| 1993 1993 in film The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:... |
The Blue Kite The Blue Kite The Blue Kite is a film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang in 1993. Though banned by the Chinese government upon its completion , the film soon found a receptive international audience... |
蓝风筝 | |
| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... |
Springtime in a Small Town Springtime in a Small Town Springtime in a Small Town is a 2002 Chinese film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film is a remake of director Fei Mu's 1948 film, Spring in a Small Town... |
小城之春 | |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Delamu Delamu Delamu is an award winning 2004 documentary film directed by the acclaimed Fifth Generation Chinese filmmaker, Tian Zhuangzhuang. Delamu documents the people living in the Nujiang River Valley, along the Tea Horse Road, an ancient trade route between China's Yunnan province and Tibet. The film was... |
茶马古道：德拉姆 | Documentary |
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
The Go Master The Go Master The Go Master is a 2006 biopic by director Tian Zhuangzhuang of the renowned twentieth century Go master Wu Qingyuan, better known by his adopted Japanese name of Go Seigen... |
吴清源 | |
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
The Warrior and the Wolf The Warrior and the Wolf The Warrior and the Wolf is an Chinese historical action film directed by veteran filmmaker Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film tells the story of the battle between two ancient warriors. It is Tian's latest directorial effort since 2006's The Go Master.... |
狼灾记 | |
As producer and executive producer
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Family Portrait | 四十不惑 | Li Shaohong Li Shaohong Li Shaohong is a Chinese film director. She graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and is a member of the Fifth Generation of Chinese film directors.Li has directed nine films since 1988 and may be China's best-known woman director.-External links:... |
| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
The Winner | 赢家 | Huo Jianqi Huo Jianqi Huo Jianqi is a Chinese film director. Like the cinematographer turned director Gu Changwei, Huo Jianqi began his cinematic career in the art department... |
| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
Rain Clouds over Wushan Rain Clouds over Wushan Rain Clouds over Wushan is a 1995 Chinese film directed by Zhang Ming and written by Zhu Wen. The film follows the lives of two lonely people living in Wushan on the banks of the Yangtze River during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam.The satirical portrayal of rural life is considered part... |
巫山云雨 | Zhang Ming |
| 1996 1996 in film Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:... |
The Making of Steel | 长大成人 | Lu Xuechang Lu Xuechang Lu Xuechang is a sixth generation Chinese film director. One of a new crop of talented filmmakers, Lu has directed four feature films beginning with his debut, The Making of Steel in 1997.... |
| 1998 1998 in film -Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:... |
So Close to Paradise So Close to Paradise So Close to Paradise is a 1998 Chinese film directed by Wang Xiaoshuai, a member of Chinese cinema's so-called Sixth Generation. It is alternatively known by the English title Ruan's Song or by its original Chinese title, The Girl From Vietnam... |
扁担·姑娘 | Wang Xiaoshuai Wang Xiaoshuai Wang Xiaoshuai is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and occasional actor. He is commonly grouped under the loose association of filmmakers known as the Sixth Generation of the Cinema of China.... |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Jasmine Women Jasmine Women Jasmine Women is a 2004 film, adapted from Su Tong's novel called Funü Shenghuo which means Women's Lives. It is directed by Hou Yong, formerly a well known cinematographer. Zhang Ziyi plays the youngest of three generations of women who leads lives in Shanghai. Joan Chen plays the... |
茉莉花开 | Hou Yong Hou Yong Hou Yong is a Chinese filmmaker and cinematographer. He is perhaps best known for his collaboration with director Zhang Yimou, though he has worked with many of China's major directors. Like some of Zhang's other cinematographers , Hou has also moved into the directing world... |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Love of May Love of May Love of May is a 2004 Taiwanese film directed by Hsu Hsiao-ming and starring Bolin Chen and Liu Yifei.-Cast:* Bolin Chen as Ah Lei* Liu Yifei as Zhao Xuan* Tien Feng as Zhao Geng-sheng* Mayday... |
五月之恋 | Hsu Hsiao-ming |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Passages Passages (film) Passages is a 2004 Chinese drama film directed by Yang Chao. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Caméra d'Or Mention Spéciale prize.-Plot:... |
路程 | Yang Chao |
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
Love in Memory | 爱的是你 | Hsu Shu-chi |
See also
- The Fifth Generation - the 1982 class of the Beijing Film AcademyBeijing Film AcademyBeijing Film Academy is a coeducational state-run higher education institution in Beijing, China. The film school is the largest institution specialised in the tertiary education for film and television production in Asia...
- Hou YongHou YongHou Yong is a Chinese filmmaker and cinematographer. He is perhaps best known for his collaboration with director Zhang Yimou, though he has worked with many of China's major directors. Like some of Zhang's other cinematographers , Hou has also moved into the directing world...
- Tian's classmate and cinematographer on many of his films
External links
- Tian Zhuangzhuang at the Chinese Movie Database
- Tian Zhuangzhuang at Sinoflicker
- Tian Zhuangzhuang at They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?
- Tian Zhuangzhuang at Film Reference