Wu Ziniu
Encyclopedia
Wu Ziniu is a Chinese film director and a member of the "Fifth Generation" film movement, a movement of filmmakers who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy
in the early 1980s. Unlike his better-known contemporaries, Zhang Yimou
and Chen Kaige
, who made their names with historical dramas, Wu Ziniu is best known for his early war film
s. His 1985 film on the Sino-Vietnamese War
, Dove Tree
, was the first film by a Fifth Generation director to be banned by the Chinese government.
, Wu was assigned to the Xiaoxing Film Studio. There he directed four films, including the children's film, The Candidate, the war films Secret Decree and Dove Tree, and the drama, The Last Day of Winter. After The Last Day of Winter, Wu expanded to other studios, working with the August First Film Studio to produce the war film, Evening Bell, which, despite the heavy hand of censorship, managed to win several international awards, including the Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize
at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
.
Throughout the late 1980s, Wu would continue to direct films, often highlighting the brutality of war and the effect on civilians, as in 1988's Joyous Heroes and its sequel Between Life and Death. With the 1990s, Wu would draw on foreign capital, primarily from Hong Kong to help produce his historical films Sparkling Fox
and The Big Mill.
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...
in the early 1980s. Unlike his better-known contemporaries, 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....
and 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:...
, who made their names with historical dramas, Wu Ziniu is best known for his early war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
s. His 1985 film on the Sino-Vietnamese War
Sino-Vietnamese War
The Sino–Vietnamese War , also known as the Third Indochina War, known in the PRC as and in Vietnam as Chiến tranh chống bành trướng Trung Hoa , was a brief but bloody border war fought in 1979 between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...
, Dove Tree
Dove tree
The Dove Tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree, usually placed in the tupelo family , but is sometimes included in the dogwood family , and by yet others given family status of its own, as Davidiaceae. It is also known as the Handkerchief tree or Pocket-handkerchief tree...
, was the first film by a Fifth Generation director to be banned by the Chinese government.
Directorial career
A member of the 1982 graduating class of 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...
, Wu was assigned to the Xiaoxing Film Studio. There he directed four films, including the children's film, The Candidate, the war films Secret Decree and Dove Tree, and the drama, The Last Day of Winter. After The Last Day of Winter, Wu expanded to other studios, working with the August First Film Studio to produce the war film, Evening Bell, which, despite the heavy hand of censorship, managed to win several international awards, including the Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize
Jury Grand Prix
The Jury Grand Prix is a Silver Bear award given by the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival to one of the feature films in competition...
at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival
39th Berlin International Film Festival
The 39th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 10 to 21, 1989.-Jury:* Rolf Liebermann * Leslie Caron* Chen Kaige* Vadim Glowna* Randa Haines* Vladimir Ignatovski* Adrian Kutter* Francisco Rabal...
.
Throughout the late 1980s, Wu would continue to direct films, often highlighting the brutality of war and the effect on civilians, as in 1988's Joyous Heroes and its sequel Between Life and Death. With the 1990s, Wu would draw on foreign capital, primarily from Hong Kong to help produce his historical films Sparkling Fox
Sparkling Fox
Sparkling Fox is a 1994 Hong Kong drama film directed by Wu Ziniu. It was entered into the 44th Berlin International Film Festival where it won an Honourable Mention....
and The Big Mill.
Filmography
| Year | English title | Chinese title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Candidate | 候补队员 | Directorial debut; co-directed with Chen Lu; also known as A Probation Member |
| 1984 | Secret Decree | 喋血黑谷 | Co-directed with Li Jingmin |
| 1985 | Dove Tree | 鸽子树 | |
| 1986 | The Last Day of Winter | 最后一个冬日 | |
| 1988 | Evening Bell Evening Bell Evening Bell is a 1988 Chinese war film directed by Wu Ziniu. The film stars Tao Zeru, Chong Peipei, and others, and was produced in part by the August First Film Studio, a production company associated with the People's Liberation Army.... |
晚钟 | |
| Joyous Heroes | 欢乐英雄 | Also known as To Die Like a Man | |
| Between Life and Death | 阴阳界 | ||
| 1990 | The Big Mill | 大磨坊 | |
| 1992 | Mountains of the Sun | 太阳山 | |
| 1993 | Sparkling Fox Sparkling Fox Sparkling Fox is a 1994 Hong Kong drama film directed by Wu Ziniu. It was entered into the 44th Berlin International Film Festival where it won an Honourable Mention.... |
火狐 | Won an Honourable Mention at the 44th Berlin International Film Festival 44th Berlin International Film Festival The 44th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 10 to 21, 1994.-Jury:* Jeremy Thomas * Chinghiz Aitmatov* María Luisa Bemberg* Hsu Feng* Morgan Freeman* Francis Girod* Corinna Harfouch* Carlo Lizzani... |
| 1995 | Don't Cry, Nanking Don't Cry, Nanking Don't Cry, Nanking, also known as Nanjing 1937 , is a 1995 Chinese film about the 1937 Nanking Massacre committed by the Imperial Japanese Army in the former capital city Nanjing, China.-Plot:... |
南京1937 | Also known as Nanking 1937 |
| 1999 | National Anthem | 国歌 | |
| 2000 | The Sino-Dutch War 1661 The Sino-Dutch War 1661 The Sino-Dutch War 1661, also known as Hero Zheng Chenggong, is a 2000 Chinese historical drama film directed by Wu Ziniu and starring Vincent Zhao, Jiang Qinqin, Du Zhiguo, Shimada Yôko, Xu Min and Zhang Shan. The film is based on the life story of Zheng Chenggong and focuses on his battle with... |
英雄郑成功 | Also known as Hero Zheng Chenggong |
| 2005 | Zhenguan Changge Zhenguan Changge Zhenguan Changge is a Chinese television series directed by Wu Ziniu. It was first aired on CCTV in China in 2007. The series is based on the events in the Zhenguan era of the reign of Emperor Taizong during the Tang Dynasty.-Plot:... |
贞观长歌 | TV series. Also known as The Story of Zhen Guan |
External links
- Wu Ziniu at the Chinese Movie Database