by Nathaniel R
One of Asia's finest auteurs, Zhang Yimou, returns to arthouse theaters today with his new film Shadow, which is a true return to form for a director whose use of color in movies has few contemporary equals. The new films is shot in color but the costumes and sets are black and white making for numerous startling images. The 69 year old Chinese director's films have been up for multiple BAFTAs, Globes, and Oscars over the years and he also co-directed the very famous Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics so you might not even realize how familiar you are with his work.
How many of his movies have you seen? Here are the posters for all 21 of his narrative features with some awards trivia, too...
Act One - Introducing Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou was a powerhouse right out of the gate, winning Berlinale with his debut feature, which was also the screen debut of China's all time greatest female movie star, Gong Li. The director and his muse would continue collaborating regularly. Ju Dou made them both international sensations and several hits followed in US and European theaters of the 1990s.
RED SORGHUM (1988) - Berlinale "Golden Bear"... Gong Li's big screen debut.
CODE NAME: COUGAR (1989) - also known as "The Puma Action"... Yimou has called this his worst film.
JU DOU (1990) - Cannes Competition / Oscar Nominee (China's very first Foreign Film nominee)
Act 2 International Sensation (1991-2006)
Yimou and Gong Li were box office draws for sophisticated moviegoers for the first half of the 1990s, and mainstream awards bodies took notice, too. Their personal and professional relationship ended with Shanghai Triad in 1995 though the former couple later reunited, professionally speaking, for two features.
RAISE THE RED LANTERN (1991) Oscar Nominee (Hong Kong's very first foreign film nominee) / BAFTA Winner / Spirit Nominee / NBR Winner
THE STORY OF QIU JU (1992) Venice "Golden Lion" / Venice Best Actress "Volpi Cup" / Spirit Nominee / NBR Winner / China's Oscar submission (it was not nominated)
TO LIVE (1994) Globe Nominee / BAFTA Winner / Cannes Competition / Cannes Best Actor
SHANGHAI TRIAD (1995) Best Cinematography Oscar Nominee / Globe Nominee / Cannes Competition / NBR Winner
KEEP COOL (1997) Venice Competition
NOT ONE LESS (1999) Venice Winner "Golden Lion"
THE ROAD HOME (1999) Berlinale "Silver Bear" / Sundance Audience Award World Cinema. This was Zhang Ziyi's big screen debut. She starred in two more Yimou films soon thereafter.
HAPPY TIMES (2000)
HERO (2002) Oscar Nominee / Globe Nominee / Berlinale Competition
HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (2004) Best Cinematography Oscar Nominee (also China's Oscar submission though it wasn't nominated for foreign film) / Globe Nominee / BAFTA Nominee
RIDING ALONE FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES (2005)
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER (2006) Best Costume Design Oscar Nominee (also China's Oscar submission though it wasn't nominated for foreign film) / NBR Winner / *Gong Li and Zhang Yimou reunite professionally 11 years after their breakup*
Act Three - Waning... and a Comeback?
For the past ten years you might say Zhang Yimou has been flailing a bit, weirdly westernized years after his fame with strange decisions to work with Christian Bale (Flowers of War) and Matt Damon (The Great Wall) as stars of Asian stories. Perhaps it made sense at the time but both films were poorly received. Faring better were his riff on the Coen Bros noir Blood Simple called A Woman, a Gun, a Noodle Shop and a second reunion with Gong Li in Coming Home.
His best film in at least 15 years, Shadow, is now upon us, winning him the Best Director prize at the Golden Horse Awards, a prize he'd never won before despite his rich career.
A WOMAN, A GUN, A NOODLE SHOP (2009) Berlinale Competition
UNDER THE HAWTHORN TREE (2010)
THE FLOWERS OF WAR (2011) Globe Nominee / China's Oscar submission (it was not nominated)
COMING HOME (2014)
THE GREAT WALL (2016)
SHADOW (2019) Now in Theaters. Go see it. It's FABULOUS and it won a few prizes at the Golden Horse Awards