Zhang Yang
Encyclopedia
Zhang Yang is a Chinese film director
, screenwriter
, and occasional actor. He is the son of Zhang Huaxun, who is also a Chinese film director.
Zhang grew up in Beijing
, studied until 1988 at Sun Yat-sen University
in Guangdong
, from which he graduated with a degree in Chinese literature
, and then went to the Central Academy of Drama
(中央戏剧学院), graduating in 1992.
, which was successful at Chinese box offices as well as international film festivals. This was followed in 2001 by Zuotian ("Quitting
" in its American release). The actors in this unusual story about a real actor, Jia Hongsheng
, and his struggle with drug addiction are Jia himself, Jia's parents, fellow inmates in a mental institution, the director, Zhang, and others playing themselves. The relationship between parents and their grown children is as central to this film as it was in Shower.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and occasional actor. He is the son of Zhang Huaxun, who is also a Chinese film director.
Zhang grew up in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, studied until 1988 at Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University, also unofficially referred to as Zhongshan University , is a prominent university located mainly in Guangzhou, China. The University is named after Dr...
in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, from which he graduated with a degree in Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
, and then went to the Central Academy of Drama
Central Academy of Drama
The Central Academy of Drama is a drama school in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-History:The academy was established in April 1950. It was named by Mao Zedong. It inherited the drama department of Lu Xun Art Academy in Yan'an, art school of North China University, and National Drama College...
(中央戏剧学院), graduating in 1992.
Career
Zhang Yang uses a realistic style, and achieved great recognition for his 1999 independent production XizaoShower (film)
Shower is a 1999 Chinese comedy-drama film directed by Zhang Yang and starring Zhu Xu, Pu Cunxin and Jiang Wu. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 14 September 1999 and won the FIPRESCI Prize...
, which was successful at Chinese box offices as well as international film festivals. This was followed in 2001 by Zuotian ("Quitting
Quitting
Quitting is a 2001 Chinese drama film directed by Zhang Yang, starring and based on the true life story of Jia Hongsheng. Jia, an actor and former drug addict, battled his addiction to marijuana and heroin for five years from 1992 to 1997...
" in its American release). The actors in this unusual story about a real actor, Jia Hongsheng
Jia Hongsheng
-Early life:Jia was born in Siping, Jilin, to Jia Fengsen and Chai Xiuling, both retired theater actors from northeast China. He had a younger sister, Wang Tong.-Life and career:...
, and his struggle with drug addiction are Jia himself, Jia's parents, fellow inmates in a mental institution, the director, Zhang, and others playing themselves. The relationship between parents and their grown children is as central to this film as it was in Shower.
As director
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Spicy Love Soup Spicy Love Soup Spicy Love Soup is a 1997 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang and written by Zhang, Liu Fendou, Cai Shangjun, and Diao Yi'nan based on a story by Zhang and Peter Loehr... |
爱情麻辣烫 | Aì qíng má là tàng | Elected for competition at 1998 Tokyo International Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter... . First independent Chinese film to achieve domestic box office success. |
| 1999 | Shower Shower (film) Shower is a 1999 Chinese comedy-drama film directed by Zhang Yang and starring Zhu Xu, Pu Cunxin and Jiang Wu. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 14 September 1999 and won the FIPRESCI Prize... |
洗澡 | Xǐ zǎo | |
| 2001 | Quitting Quitting Quitting is a 2001 Chinese drama film directed by Zhang Yang, starring and based on the true life story of Jia Hongsheng. Jia, an actor and former drug addict, battled his addiction to marijuana and heroin for five years from 1992 to 1997... |
昨天 | Zúo tiān | |
| 2005 | Sunflower Sunflower (2005 film) Sunflower is a 2006 Chinese film directed by Zhang Yang. Zhang's fourth film, Sunflower is a joint production of Ming Productions, the Beijing Film Studio and the Hong Kong subsidiary of the Netherlands-based Fortissimo Films... |
向日葵 | Xiàng rì kúi | |
| 2007 | Getting Home Getting Home Getting Home is a 2007 Chinese comedy/drama film directed by Zhang Yang and starring Chinese comedian Zhao Benshan. The film is episodic in nature and follows two workers in their 50's, Zhao and Liu... |
落叶归根 | Lùo yè gūi gēn | |
| 2010 | Driverless Driverless (2010 film) Driverless is a 2010 Chinese romance film directed by Zhang Yang and starring Liu Ye, Ruby Lin, Gao Yuanyuan, Li Xiaoran, Jianbin Chen and Wang Luodan. Director Zhang Yang says that this movie is an updated version of his 1997 film "Spicy Love Soup", and it presents love stories set in our current... |
无人驾驶 | Wú rén jià shǐ | |
As actor
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Pinyin | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
Spring Subway Spring Subway Spring Subway is a 2002 Chinese romance film directed by Zhang Yibai and starring Xu Jinglei and Geng Le. Sixth Generation director Zhang Yang also plays a role. The film represents a relatively new genre in China, the artistic "commercial film" with its international urban sensibilities designed... |
开往春天的地铁; | Kāi wǎng chūntiān de dìtiě | Lao Hu |
External links
- Zhang Yang at the Chinese Movie Database
- Interview with Zhang Yang from BBC-Films