Zhang Yimou - The Greatest Chinese Director #1 Quiz

Answer: Xi'an

Zhang Yimou was born and grew up in Xi'an (d.o.b. 14th November 1951). He attended college in Beijing.

Answer: Beijing Academy of Film

After the Great Cultural Revolution (which lasted from 1966 to 1976), Chinese colleges reopened their doors to students. In 1978, Zhang Yimou, as one of the first college students after the Revolution, was admitted by Beijing Academy of Film.

Answer: photography

Though now Zhang Yimou is famous primarily as a director, he learned photography while in college. His first work after graduation was director of photography in the movie" One and Eight" (1983) directed by Zhang Junzhao.

Answer: Red Sorghum

In 1987, Zhang Yimou directed his first movie "Red Sorghum", which won a Golden Bear for Best Picture at Berlin International Film Festival. Even today many people still think it is the best film Zhang Yimou ever made.

Answer: Gong Li

Gong Li was Zhang's long-time collaborator and girlfriend. Gong starred eight movies by Zhang. In 1995, they broke up after working together in Shanghai Triad. But in 2006, eleven years later, Gong starred again in the movie Curse of the Golden Flower by Zhang.

Answer: None of these three

He won Best Foreign Language Film nominations for "Ju Dou" in 1991, "Raise the Red Lantern" in 1992 and "Hero" in 2003. But he never succeeded.

Answer: "To Live' (1994)

In 1994, Zhang Yimou made the movie "To Live", starring Gong Li and Ge You. But it was banned in China by the Chinese State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, due to its critical portrayal of various policies and campaigns of the Communist government.

Answer: CCTV (China Central Television) Spring Festival Gala

In 1998, he directed an acclaimed version of Puccini's opera "Turandot", firstly in Florence and then later at the Forbidden City, Beijing, with Zubin Mehta conducting. In 2001, Zhang adapted his 1991 film "Raise the Red Lantern" for the stage, directing a ballet version.

He was also chosen to direct the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing alongside co-director and choreographer Zhang Jigang. He never directed CCTV Spring Festival.

Answer: "Not One Less" (1999)

Zhang Yimou likes using amateurs. In these four movies, he used many amateurs. But "Not One Less" (1999) is the only one in which not one professional was employed. The actress, Wei Mingzhi was simply a village girl, who never saw a Coca Cola before acting this film.

Answer: Christian Bale

In 2011, Zhang Yimou directed his 18th film "The Flowers of Wars". In this film, he worked with a western actor first time in order to make his film more international. He hoped the participation of Bale would boost numbers at the the box office.