Zhang Xiaoling, better known by his stage name Zhang Yibai () (born 14 April 1963, in
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
) is a
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
film director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
,
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
and
producer.
Directorial career
Zhang began his career in
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
and
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
s before directing his debut, ''
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 "commerc ...
'' in 2002.
Zhang, like many other modern Chinese directors, has focused primarily on life in modern Chinese cities. ''Spring Subway'', for example, follows its protagonist as he wanders through Beijing's
subway system, while the mystery-thriller ''Curiosity Killed the Cat'' follows its characters through the central China
boomtown
A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...
of
Chongqing
Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...
(also Zhang's hometown).
His next two films, 2007's ''
The Longest Night in Shanghai
''The Longest Night in Shanghai'' () is a 2007 film produced by Japan's Movie Eye Entertainment and directed by Chinese director Zhang Yibai. It is a rare collaboration between China and Japan.
The film consists of a diverse cast. It stars Chine ...
'' and 2008's ''
Lost, Indulgence'' have seen the director's exposure and successes extending increasingly overseas. ''Longest Night'', starring
Zhao Wei
Zhao Wei (; born 12 March 1976), also known as Vicky Zhao or Vicki Zhao, is a Chinese actress, businesswoman, film director, producer and pop singer. She is considered one of the most popular actresses in China and Chinese-speaking regions, a ...
, constitutes one of the first China-Japan coproductions,
while ''Lost'' was selected to premiere at New York City's
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by TriBeCa Productions, Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive progra ...
in 2008.
Filmography
References
External links
*
*
Zhang Yibaiat the Chinese Movie Database
Film directors from Chongqing
1963 births
Living people
Chinese film directors
Central Academy of Drama alumni
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