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Zhang Yimou

Chinese filmmaker

9.50body-of-work score · ranked #98 of 2631 directors · 10 films in our library

A director's score is the sum of their films' composite canon scores — methodology.

Born
April 2, 1950 · Xi'an
Nationality
People's Republic of China
Work
film director, actor, screenwriter, film producer
Movement
fifth generation Chinese cinema
Reference
Wikipedia · Wikidata
Portrait of Zhang Yimou
Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0

Films in our library, ranked

Ranked by composite canon score across 20+ authoritative lists, awards and polls — our ordering, with every placement citing its evidence on the film's page.

  1. 1
    The Story of Qiu Ju秋菊打官司Must-See #283

    1992 · China · comedy, drama

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1992 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1993 #2 · Sarris's annual top 10 1993 #1

    2.304 citations
  2. 2
    Not One Less一个都不能少

    1999 · China · drama

    Venice Golden Lion winner 1999 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2000 #3 · Sarris's annual top 10 2000 #7

    1.673 citations
  3. 3
    Red Sorghum红高粱

    1988 · China · drama, romance, war

    Berlin Golden Bear winner 1988 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 1989 #3

    1.502 citations
  4. 4
    To Live活着

    1994 · China / Hong Kong, China · drama

    Cannes Grand Prix winner 1994 · Sarris's annual top 10 1994 #4 · NYT Best 1,000 Movies

    1.133 citations
  5. 5
    The Road HomeWo de fu qin mu qin

    1999 · China · drama, romance

    Sarris's annual top 10 2001 #1 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2000 #4

    0.932 citations
  6. 6
    Raise the Red Lantern大紅燈籠高高掛

    1991 · China · drama, romance

    Letterboxd Top 250 #111 · Sarris's annual top 10 1992 #4 · Kehr's annual top 10 1992 #6

    0.915 citations
  7. 7
    House of Flying Daggers十面埋伏

    2004 · China / Hong Kong, China · fantasy, action, romance

    Sarris's annual top 10 2004 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2004 #19

    0.482 citations
  8. 8
    Ju Dou菊豆

    1990 · China / Japan · drama, romance

    NYT Best 1,000 Movies · Siskel's annual top 10 1991 #8

    0.322 citations
  9. 9
    Shanghai Triad摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥

    1995 · China / France · drama, crime

    Sarris's annual top 10 1995 #10

    0.141 citation
  10. 10
    Hero英雄

    2002 · China · action, drama

    Edgar Wright's 1,000 favorite movies

    0.111 citation

Complete filmography

All 31 directorial credits recorded on Wikidata, in chronological order; films in our library link to their canon-score page.